Naruto: Art of Mimicry
by Aracade
Summary: AU The container of the great nine tail fox has an unusual Bloodline Limit. He can copy what you do regardless of what it is. They say mimicry is the sincerest form of flattery.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto in any shape form or fashion.

**Author's Note:** This is one of the random ideas that have been running through my head. It does not mean I have abandoned my other story. I think it would be best for me to treat the stories, as I should have. Something to do on the side. Maybe it will turn out better in the process. As with any writer, I hope you enjoy what you read.

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**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Prologue

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**

This had to be the worst night possible for the leaf village. Their ninja were being slaughtered while great sections of land were destroyed. All because the great nine tailed demon fox was carving a destructive path towards them. No one knew why it was attacking but no one could really stop to find out now. It was killing them and that was all that mattered.

"RAIKIRI!" A silver haired ninja called out before embedding his arm cleanly into the skull of the great tailed demon. How he got that high no one really knew but for the second, the beast paused. For what little of the ninja's face you could see, he appeared to have turned completely white as he looked into the eye of the fox as it stared at him. It looked amused before it snapped its head launching the terror stricken ninja from its head. It took half a dozen people to keep his fall from becoming a fatal one.

"Are you alright Kakashi?" A concerned man asked helping the shaken ninja to his feet.

"I'm fine Guy…" he answered as the color returned to his face.

"Ah, I expect no less from my eternal rival!"

"Hm, you say something?" Kakashi looked at the tall man in green who suddenly broke down crying in front of him muttering something about a hip response. "Anyway, do you know how much longer we have to stall this thing?"

"Hm, from what I heard, he is own his way." He sounded confidant yet a look of sorrow suddenly appeared on his face. "But I also heard that he was waiting for the hero to be made ready. I do not like how that sounds."

"I'm sure whatever he does will be for the best." A smile actually became visible behind that mask of his. "Come on, lets see if we can at least make it flinch."

* * *

**At an undisclosed Location**

* * *

"Please reconsider…" And elderly man spoke with a voice full of sorrow as he watched a young blond man write kanji after kanji covering the floor, walls and even the ceiling. "There has to be another way."

"I wish there was another way." The blond spoke before looking at the old man with bright blue eyes filled with his own sorrow as well as a strong determination. "I've researched this a thousand times and I've only found one way that will work." He turned back to his writing before walking over to the center of the room where a small sleeping newborn rested.

"I know I can't talk you out of sacrificing yourself but at least use another child." The old man was pleading at this point. "You waited so long, I'm sure someone else…"

"NO!" The blond yelled looking at the old man with a piercing gaze before turning back to look at the sleeping child. "I can't, I won't ask anyone else to make such a sacrifice." He brushed his hand over the child's forehead before he started placing kanji on him. "No matter how much pain this cause me, it has to be done."

"What about…"

"I can only hope she will forgive me." He paused for a moment before looking at the old man with his own eyes silently begging him. "See that he is treated as a hero. If not, at least make sure he stays safe. See that they both stay safe."

"I…" The old man could only sigh in an attempt to control his own emotions as the man before him slowly started to break down. "I will try…"

"Thank you…" Was barely whispered out as he turned back to his work and finished the last of the kanji. "Its time…" With that, he took hold of the hat that completed his Hokage attire and disappeared from the room.

"I will miss you my friend." The old man said under his breath before leaving the room.

* * *

**The Gates of Konoha**

* * *

The people were panicking. Just outside the gates was a raging monster and there was nothing they could do about it. Ninja were pouring through the gates in waves. Many were dead while others wished they could die. So many were injured to the point that they wanted to fight just to end the pain. Yet their cries of pain weren't alone. Just outside, people could hear the cries of ninja falling in battle. Those that could still fight were getting desperate. A young girl with purple hair seemed to be having an insane fit of laughter as she joined in the fray. To many, it would like she lost her mind but to those that knew her, she was covering her fear.

"Anko, explain your reason for being here." A man with shades and a long coat that partially covered his face with its collar spoke.

"What, it was boring over there." Anko almost sounded like she was whining.

"You were sent there for your safety." The man stated in a monotone voice.

"You don't need to be concerned about my safety." She huffed crossing her arms. "I can take care of myself."

"Your past experiences say otherwise." He once more spoke out while pushing the shades up on his face.

"Are you talking my former sensei or the suicide attempts?" She asked glaring at the man. During most of the conversation, the man never looked at her until now. Despite the shades, she could feel him glaring at her.

"Both…"

"Look," Anko started with a subdued tone "I'm not looking to die here. I just want to step out of that man's shadow." Her face took on a sad expression before she shook it off and pointed behind her at a ball of glued together explosive tags as large as her body. "Besides, I've been wanting to test that out for a while now."

"You plan to use that how?" he asked with an eyebrow raised above his shades only to hear a low chuckle from the girl.

"I haven't really planed that far ahead." A minor blush appeared on her face while he stared at her. "What? I made that thing when I was suicidal. I'm still surprised no one found it."

"**We'll be taking that!"** A booming voice said as a tong wrapped up the ball and pulled it into towards a giant frog.

"Shibi, take Anko home!" A voice yelled out from the top of the frog. Shibi nodded before grabbing Anko's arm.

"Lets go…"

"Hey!" She struggled without much success against the man. "At least let me watch." She struggles more until he picked her up over his shoulder causing her to pout. "It was my bomb…"

"She's going to be a handful." The blond stated as the frog dropped the ball of tags in front of him.

"**She will be fine."** The frog boss leapt into the air heading towards the battle. **"It is sad that this will be the last time we are together."**

"Don't talk like that." He grinned closing his eyes. "I'm sure we will be heroes after this."

"**Save the mask for someone that can see it." **In the midst of a leap, the frog drew a blade that was at its side and landed in front of the fox. **"I'm going to miss you kid, I don't want that mask of yours to screw up this memory."**

"Right…" The man nodded as he listened to the cries of the ninja announcing his arrival. Taking a breath while moving a bit of chakra, he amplified his voice so everyone on the ground could hear him clearly. "Every recover the injured and pull back to the gate wall! I want no one to be caught in what I am about to do!" His tone left no room for argument as puffs of smoke erupted in mass throughout the forest. "Aim between the eyes, then stall it the best you can."

"**Why don't you give me something hard to do?"** The frog boss smirked as the ball of tags flew into his eyesight covered in blue flames as they got ready to explode. Using the flat side of his blade, he struck the ball launching it right into the face of the fox resulting in a rather impressive explosion. **"Well here we go!"**

The fox for its part used its paws to brush off its face as the wound from the blast healed rapidly. When it opened its eyes, it took a leap back to avoid being slashed by the frog's blade. For all its great power and healing ability, it was completely on the defensive having to avoid rapid yet precise swings. A great jump it surprised the frog boss mid swing as it tackled the frog to the ground. The frog wasn't one to panic as it took a breath and launched a ball of water into the fox knocking it off. Not wasting any moment, he was up and facing off with fox.

"**Come on, is that the best you can do?"** It was a simple taunt, and it got the desired results. An angry aura erupted from the fox as it spread out all nine of its tails fully. It looked ready to rush at him until its gaze went up to the figure riding the frog. That angry aura the taunt got was nothing to the new one. The aura became a raging fire near instantly destroying the land under it. **"That's not good. Do you know this thing?"**

During all the fighting, he had been making seals at a very rapid pace yet slow enough to make sure he didn't make a mistake. At the same time he was careful not to fall off during the fight. For his credit, when he felt the killing intent, he never stopped moving taking only a second to glance at the fox. "Never seen him before in my life."

"**Well it looks like he knows you." **The fox suddenly became a blur as it smashed into the frog with enough force to knock the breath out of him. The next thing the frog boss knew, he was dodging furious swipes from its claws and tails, each laced with its demonic power extending the range even further.

"Gamabunta, grab it!" His voice was firm and held a seriousness that only a leader could make when facing death. The toad boss avoided a swipe then jumped forward with as much strength as his legs had catching the fox's front legs. He held on with the best grip he could even using his tongue to grip the fox's neck so it would snap at him. In all this effort, it was rewarded with a tail swiping at his face burning a scar across his eye. The wind from the attack blew the hat off of the blond young man allowing the fox to get a good look at the man before him. In that second, its eyes widened and all of its struggling ceased. Yet, like the reason for its attack, no one would know why. "Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"

* * *

**2 Years Later, Konoha Open Market

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**

The sky was bright, people were cheering loudly as they watched actors dressed as shinobi and kunoichi battle against a large puppet shaped like a nine tailed fox. Constant little special fire works went off. Children who sat in front for a good view looked scared as the puppeteer made the fox breathe fire. In the crowd were old and young ninja a like that silently remembered the night of the attack and wish it was as simple as the show the actors put on.

"Damn it, they are going to leave out my bomb again!" A purple haired kunoichi yelled watching from the corner of a roof. "They don't even know how long I had worked on that thing."

"Last I heard Anko, you was placed with us directing the civilians to safety." A red eyed teenaged woman stated looking at Anko before setting down a box of dango next to her. "You could explain how you snuck past the chunin that was watching you."

"Bah, that was easy!" Anko grabbed the box of dango and started popping them in her mouth savoring the taste before swallowing. "You can get past any guy with the right words and an innocent little kiss." She made her voice slightly seductive sounding speaking the last part before laughing loudly. "You should have seen the expression on his face, not to mention the nose bleed he had. It was priceless."

For her part, the red-eyed kunoichi had to fight down a blush while imagining what her companion could have said to get that reaction out of the man watching them. "Your shameless…"

"Aw, don't say that Kurenai, I'm sure you could get the same results easy. In fact…" Anko shifted the box so she could whisper into the woman's ear. "All you would need to do is show a little skin and men would fall at your feet in droves." Pulling back, she took a good look at Kurenai to see a blush on her face as she tried to stutter out a response denying she would ever do such a thing. Anko in turn just laughed before eating some more.

Elsewhere, a silver haired shinobi sat silently reading an orange book while casting the occasional glance at the crowd. He really didn't like the show that was being put on considering the bad memories tied to it. That combined with the loss of his sensei didn't make it any easier. The memory of his sensei did give him a bit of courage, as he knew the man fought to and beyond his last breath. Kakashi sudden snapped out of his memories to a muffled voice to his side. Turning to look with a lazy expression on what you could see of his face, he saw the man that proclaims he to be his eternal rival. "You say something Guy?"

"Darn you and your cool hip ways…" Guy muttered under his breath before smiling again. "So why have you been casting glances into the crowd. Has the youthful flames of passion ignited in your heart?"

"Um, no." Casting a glance into the crowd he tilted his book slightly as to point with it. "You see that group of kids there?" He waited for Guy to acknowledge the question before continuing. "That happens to be all the children in the orphanage. All except one."

"So the boy is missing?"

"Missing or left behind." Shaking his head before looking back at his book. "If it was just that, I wouldn't feel like something was wrong."

* * *

**Konoha Hospital 3rd Floor.

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**

"Alright, here we are." A young brunette woman stated as she opened the door to a room. "You behave yourself ok? I will be back in an hour with something for you to eat." She looked down at the blond boy clutching a small teddy bear as he nodded and silently walked into the room. She let out a small sigh as she looked at his clothing. All he had was a tee shirt that was far to big for him and it looked to have not been washed in weeks. He looked to be very cold as if he washed himself in a river and his sandals looked ready to fall apart at a moments notice. She closed the door behind her as she walked away trying not to think about why his clothing was in that condition.

Inside, the blond child walked over to the lone bed in the room that was taller then him. Grabbing hold of a chair that he knew he could move, he scooted it over next to the bed and climbed up into it. Turning, he looked at a woman who looked like she was sleeping tucked in under the covers. Soft tan skin, long brown hair that looked to well taken care of. In the eyes of this boy, she was like a sleeping angel. Taking his bear, he crawled from the chair onto the bed and lifted her arm so he could slip under it.

"Please wake up…" He whispered before closing his eyes and promptly falling a sleep.

Back outside at the front desk for that floor. The nurses and doctors spoke of various patients on that floor. Changes in treatments were being issued to several by the doctor when the brunette nurse walked in with a tray of food.

"Ah, I take it he is visiting again?" A male doctor spoke up to the nurse.

"Yeah . . ." The nurse stated before setting the food down. "Do you think she will ever wake up?"

"I truly can't answer that myself." The doctor spoke before turning to leave. "She is physically healthy now but whatever trauma she suffer mentally is keeping her locked in a coma."

"It's sad how much can go wrong in one day." The other nurses and doctors who were listen actually nodded while she picked up the tray of food and started to walk towards the room she lead the boy into. Just as put her hand on the doorknob, a loud crash from inside the room made her drop the tray. Opening the door, she saw glass littering the floor around a teddy bear by a now broken window. Running over, she looked out the window careful to avoid the remaining glass. She saw nothing down but when she looked up, she saw a man with a heavily bandaged head running up the wall holding the boy by his arm. She didn't waste a second as she rushed out the room heading to the front desk. "GET HELP NOW!!!" She yelled out as ran to the staircase moving at a pace that would make a civilian think she was a ninja.

"Well little demon, it's time you paid for all the lives you stole." The bandaged man stated as he dropped the boy on the roof only to kick him across it. "How many have you killed demon. Hundreds, thousands? It doesn't matter because I'm going to end your life here." He drew a kunai and slowly walked towards the boy seemingly to savior the kill when the door burst open getting his attention.

"STOP!" She was panting hard yet still had the strength to charge the man without any thought at all. The next thing she knew, she was on her back with his foot pressed on her neck.

"I don't see why you are defending that monster. If I don't do this, it will kill us all." The sound of running reached his ears and he turned to look at where the boy used to be. " What the hell?" He immediately got off the woman and ran to the edge of the roof to see the boy, running down the wall the same way he ran up it. A child shouldn't know how to do that yet the boy was doing it. He let out a frustrated growl and prepared to jump down to catch the boy when he felt something prick his neck. Out of instinct, he kicked out behind him knocking away the nurse he knocked down earlier. Looking at her, he saw an empty syringe. "You little…" That was as far as he got as he collapsed unconscious.

"Well this won't help his ego. Beaten by a civilian nurse." She mentally chuckled as she stood up and hobbled over to the edge just in time to see the boy slip into an open window on the second floor.

* * *

**Hokage's Office

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**

Several ninja arrived at the hospital moments after the assassin was knocked out. The Hokage himself even showed up and the expression on his face showed he wasn't in the least bit pleased. While a couple of ANBU carried off the unconscious assassin, the rest searched the second floor of the hospital for the boy. They found him hiding in a broom closet in tears and shivering too terrified to even let them touch him. In the end, the Hokage himself had to get the boy. Needless to say, the child latched himself onto the old man and cried loudly into his robes until he finally fell a sleep. Now in his office, with the boy sleep on the couch, he was listening to the report the nurse was giving him.

"Are you sure he ran down the wall?" He asked not sure if what he heard was true.

"Yes Lord Hokage." The nurse looked at the boy before continuing. "I only saw him slip into the window when I looked but I heard him running."

"Alright, I want you to go home and rest." He stood up and smiled that warm smile old men were known to have. "I want to thank you for taking care of him. He hasn't had a lot of people willing to help him."

"It was the least I could do. He is only a child. Why can't they see that?" She had a sad expression cross her face before she bowed to the old man and exited the office. With the door closed, he locked it and turned to look at the picture of the Forth on the wall.

"I'm trying my friend, I really am." He sighed before walking to the side of the boy and gently shook him. "Naruto…" It did take a bit of shaking to wake the boy but he finally woke up wiping his eye with a tiny balled up fist.

"Hi Old Man…" Naruto yawned obviously still tired.

"I know you are still tired but I want to talk to you." The little blond boy nodded even though he was barely awake. "That's good. Did you run down the wall of the hospital?" He was awarded a light nod and a yawn from the child. "Do you remember how you did it?"

"I did what mummy man did."

"Can you do it again?" He watched Naruto shake his head no making him pauses for a moment. "Why not Naruto?"

"Don't remember how."

"So you did it after you saw him do it but you don't remember how to do it now?"

"Yeah." He nodded as well before yawning again. "Can I go back to sleep now?"

"After I check one more thing." The boy nodded once. "Ok Naruto, I'm going to show you something then I want you to do it. " With that, the old man did a single hand seal and disappeared in a puff of smoke. When he appeared again he was on the ceiling. He jumped down and pulled two shrunken from his desk and handed them to Naruto. The boy smiled and stood in front of the old man then the next moment copied the movements perfectly. Just to be sure, the Hokage made him do it two more times. "That is an interesting talent you have Naruto. I'm going to want to talk about it later. Right now…here." He handed the boy the stuffed teddy bear he lost causing the boy to smile sleepily and lay back down on the couch. In seconds, the child was sleeping.

"Well Naruto, seems your future just got a little more interesting."


	2. Chapter 1: To Be Hokage

**Disclaimer:** Ownership of the Naruto is not mine thus I cannot claim that I own Naruto.

**Author's Note:** I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. Seriously, I wasn't expecting that many reviews. As soon as I figure out what I did right I will keep it up. Now I need a question answered.

Should I stick with the normal team set up or change it? (And change it how?)

Consider this a Vote with an option on how to change it. It won't be done next chapter but rather chapter 3 that I place the teams so that means plenty of time to state yer opinion on the subject.

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**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 1: To Be Hokage

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**

It was dark, cold, and the only life that could be seen belonged to a child. A ten-year-old blond boy in a black t-shirt and orange shorts had a heavy layer of sweet built up on his body. His face showed both determination and concentration as he struck a wooden log several times his size repeatedly with his fist alone. By the looks of the log, it was one that he had been working of hours at a time as one side of it was beaten in to a gouged state and several cuts were all across it from repeated piercing by weapons.

His fists were bleeding from the abuse yet he didn't stop. His mind wondered over his history with each strike he made. The first things he remembered were the words villagers always yelled when he was near. Just the thought made his strikes that much harder. He remembered the abuse as some got bold enough to throw rocks at him. The orphanage he used to live in remind him of the loneliness he felt as they made him stay separate from the other children. Even told him that monsters weren't allowed to play games. Yet with all that he made a promise to himself.

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**Flashback Naruto Age 2, Hokage's Office

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**

_He sat on the couch watching the old man work. Ninja and villagers came in one by one and in groups and every time they were nice. His own mind found it amazing. They were so nice to the old man yet mean to him and he couldn't figure out why?_

"_Old man?" He asked in a timid voice getting the hokage's attention. "Why are they so nice to you?"_

_The old man gave him a warm smile as he got up from his chair and walked over to the boy. "They are nice to me because I'm the Hokage. I make them feel safe."_

"_Really?" The old man gently ruffled the boy's hair as he smiled._

"_Yes, they know I will fight the bad guys that will try to hurt them."_

"_Like a hero?"_

"_Right, like a hero."_

"_Then I wanna be Hokage!" Naruto yelled out with a big smile on his face._

"_Oh? Why is that?"_

"_If I be Hokage, I will be a hero…" His smile faded as he looked down with a sad frown. "Maybe they will stop hurting me then." If he continued to look up, he would see the frown that appeared on the old mans face. For that moment, Naruto's memories reflected on what peopled had already done to him. For some reason, he looked a little older because of the pain they already caused him. _

"_Well Naruto, its not easy to become Hokage." The old man spoke knowing he needed to change the boy's thought process. He was rewarded with an angry frown rather then that sad one._

"_I can do it!" The boy yelled out in a defiant tone._

"_Oh you can huh?" He stood up to his full height and put on a playful smirk that he knew would make the boy focus more on him. "Do you know what it takes to be Hokage?"_

"_You gotta be strong!" Regardless of his size, he flexed a nonexistent muscle with his right arm while still holding his teddy bear in his left._

"_That's right, you have to be strong but you also have to be smart." Leaning down again, he poked the boy's forehead with his right pointer finger. "You look strong but you don't look that smart." He held back a chuckle as the boy growled at him._

"_I am can be smart!" His face twisted into an angry pout as he crossed his arms staring the old man in the face. Really, for all the effort he put into it, it just made him look cute._

"_Oh really?" The Third put on a sly smile, as he looked the boy in the eyes. "You have to be really smart and really strong. I don't know if you can do it."_

"_I WILL BE SMART AND STRONG AND BE THE BEST HOKAGE EVER!" The boy yelled at the top of his lunges while pointing at the old man with a determined look on his face. He was going to be a hero. He was going to be so great a hero that no one would ever think of hurting him again. "That's a promise!"

* * *

_

Just thinking about the first time he made that promise caused his strikes to speed up. The very day he made that promise, he started to change. No matter how badly he was treated, he didn't dwell on it. Those who beat him just to see him cry were disappointed in the results. The pain made him cry, that much couldn't help but he got back up from it. Before he would stay down and just cry out in sorrow. That's what they wanted and now they couldn't get it. Some people even stopped hurting him altogether and treated him nicely.

He recalled the promise he made again. He had to be stronger and smarter but he knew no one would teach him. The old man, as nice as he was, couldn't do it. He had to be the Hokage, the village's hero and protector so. That meant that he had to learn on his own and the first task was the hardest. You can't be really smart unless you learn to read. That meant sneaking into the public library, as a child was no easy task. Surprisingly, just getting into the library repeatedly caused him to learn a great deal about stealth and patience as well as a few ninja tricks. Course he didn't know he learned them till he finally pulled them off without seeing it done first. Still, three years learning to sneak into the library so he could teach himself to read plus another year learning on his own. If anyone ever took the time to notice, they would realize that this boy could potentially be a genius.

* * *

**Flashback Naruto age 6, Unknown Training Ground

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**

_In front of him were at least nine different scrolls covering the basics of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. The boy himself had in his hand a single scroll with a simple title on it. 'Basic Chakra Control and Control Building Jutsu Volume 1'_

"_This is hard…" He complained to no one as he took one hand off the scroll and rubbed his head looking aggravated. "The, key, to, con…trolling, chakra, is learning, to feel it, flow." While his reading was slow, he was determined to press forward. It could only get better the more he worked at it and he knew it. Eventually, after three weeks of working at it, he learned to feel and mold his chakra. It was shaky and there were times he made himself sick doing it but he managed to do it. He studied and practiced for hours hiding the scrolls till he could finish them and sneak them back into the library. At times he would find extra scrolls he didn't take. Those he had to keep hidden at all times. _

_While he learning to mold and control chakra made performing the ninja tricks he learned easier to the point that he preformed them almost as well as if he watched and mimicked the action. He questioned his other skills. None of the scrolls really gave ninjutsu or genjutsu he could teach himself and the taijutsu was completely basic. The scrolls that appeared out of nowhere did have instructions how to make his own jutsu as well as instructions for the Transformation Jutsu. Whoever was giving him scrolls didn't know what 'evil' jutsu Naruto would create from that. _

_The angry remarks and minor assaults continued not that he expected them to stop any time soon but one event actually stopped the beatings from a large number of people. During his walk from the training ground to Ichiraku's, he took notice of a set of boys bulling a girl. To say that Naruto beat them would be normal, it turned out that these 'boys' were genin from another village. A six-year-old boy facing off against two genin wasn't a fair fight in the least._

"_HEY YOU BASTURDS! LEAVE HER ALONE!" Naruto declared in the loudest possible voice he could muster. If that was all he did, odds are they would have just grabbed him and the girl but Naruto is a surprising child. In the process of that yell, he physically jumped and kicked one of the boys into the other allowing the girl to take off running. Of course he also royally pissed off the two boys with his assault but hey, he did save the girl._

"_You little runt!" One boy angrily yelled though nowhere near as loud as Naruto's entrance voice. He put a hand to his face rubbing the spot he was kicked while the other stood up while frowning. "Look at what you have done. Now you have to pay the price." To the boy's surprise, rather then cower at the small bit of killing intent he produce, Naruto got into the basic defensive stance he learned. It was sloppy but it was all Naruto could manage without proper instruction. _

"_Hey look at that, he wants to fight." The other boy stated with a smirk on his face. Taking a good look at the, one would see two genin that had apparently been through hell. The boy facing off with Naruto had scars all over his face with bandages covering his neck and arms. The other one who promptly leaned on a tree near him had an eye patch covering his right eye and his left eye had a scar making seem that someone had intended to cut it out. "Give him what he wants and lets get out of here."_

"_Bah, I bet he runs on the first hit." It was cocky statement but he didn't hold back on his attack. At a speed Naruto wasn't ready for, he rushed forward and drove a sidekick right into him. The best Naruto could do was move his arms in a cross in hopes of absorbing the impact. Much to the surprise of both him and the boys, he managed to stay standing and just slide back several feet. "The hell?"_

"_What did you hold back for?" The boy with the patch asked glaring at his partner with his one eye._

"_I didn't…" He was surprised but shook it off as he prepared to attack again. "No matter, the next one will finish him. Or kill him." It probably would have if he had a chance to do it. It in an instant, that kick that sent Naruto skidding backwards was returned except for three differences. Naruto was prepared to just mimic it fully till he realized he was far too short to aim for the same spot so he altered it slightly. He pumped more chakra into his legs to make it faster, He took the skill he learned from repeatedly mimicking other ninja that let them walk on walls and things added that to his running so he didn't lose any speed but gained more from the near perfect traction he got, and finally he threw the kick forward at a higher angle pumping his chakra into his foot so that it would explode out creating a greater force on impact with his target. As for his target…well, the odds of the scared genin ever producing children went down greatly._

_Now, seeing his partner dropped in the most painful manner possible for a guy his age was enough to make the boy angry. The fact that 'a little six year old boy' which was a rough translation from the string of curses he was throwing out at the time beat his partner had him in a blood lust. He actually had drawn out a kitana he had hidden and rushed forward intent on slicing the child in half. Sadly for him, fortunate for Naruto, he only made it three feet before a jonin appeared and set him straight, aka, knocked him clean out. Turned out, the chunin exams were in session and those two plus a partner who wasn't there had planed to participate. However, due to bulling the girl who in turn got help when Naruto preformed his rescues caused them to be disqualified before they could even start. When word got around that Naruto beat one of them, the mixed fear and respect gained from the act reduced the beatings considerably.

* * *

_

That actually turned out to be a proud day for Naruto. He realized he was making progress not only in his studies and training but also his strange talent. Before, he always mimicked what he saw to a perfect level if he could. But then, he managed to change things. It helped him train in some things such as walking on walls and such. The boy never realized that it was considered a chakra excursive until he read about it. When he went about doing it without mimicking someone else, at times he would use to little chakra and fall at which point he would watch for another ninja to do it till he was sure what felt right. It took several tries to get it though. AT one point he used too much chakra and learned of the explosive result it could have.

An explosive result that he started using when he had the chance. He started directing his chakra into his fist at one point creating a concussive impact with his punches. While the results were nice, it left him drained very quickly. As a result he decided to only use it, as a trump card should he need one. Ah but his six year old memories didn't end there. No, his mind wondered back to the day he started the Ninja Academy. It was that day he met another person that would become important to him as well as finding his first friend.

* * *

**Flashback 6-Year-old Naruto, Ninja Academy

* * *

**

"_Naruto…" The Hokage actually had a day off. Something that never happened often and he was spending it to take him to his first day of school. The act actually had the boy in tears thanking the old man. "Now Naruto, before you can become hokage, you have to be a ninja. To do that, you must pass and become a genin. Think you can do that?"_

"_YEAH!" The boy yelled out with complete excitement in his voice._

"_That's good," The old man said with a smile on his face. "I want you to learn everything you can here. After all, you did make a promise."_

"_That's right." The boy nodded rapidly before making a completely serious face. "I will be the smartest, strongest, and greatest Hokage EVER!" After that, he smiled with all the joy he felt. "You can trust me old man. I can do it."_

"_I know you can. Now lets meet your instructor shell we?" He stated before taking Naruto's hand and leading him inside. Inside, standing in the hall with a smile on his face, a young man with a chunin jacket and a scar over his nose directed children into a room. The moment he saw the old man, he bowed respectfully which the old man returned with a nod. "Iruka, I hope you ready to receive another new student."_

"_I'm always ready Lord Hokage." Taking a look at Naruto he smiled and knelt down to his level. "You must be Naruto, right?" While the boy nodded his head, he did look a little apprehensive. "I've heard good things about you. I hope you learn a lot in my class."_

_Naruto for his part blinked a couple of times before smiling and bowing to the man. "Thank you for having me in your class."_

"_It's my pleasure, now why don't you go inside and have a seat." Iruka stood up and let Naruto run inside after he waved good-bye to the old man. "He was rather polite." That statement got a chuckle from the old man that made him a bit confused. _

"_Wait till he gets used to you." The old man smiled a knowing smile before turning to walk out. "Take care of him Iruka, I'm leaving him in your hands. Iruka for his part bowed before waiting for the rest of the kids to get inside. _

_Inside Naruto saw a lot of kids talking with each other, playing games among other things. Most of the seats were taking except a few around a boy wearing shades and a large coat that covered most of his body and part of his face. For some odd reason, no one was talking to him much less few sat near him and The tones that did actually had their desk scooted a little in an effort to be further from him. Naruto chose to sit in the seat next to him. The boy didn't seem to react to his presence as he sat down. He just remained silent seemingly staring forward at nothing._

"_Hi…" Naruto spoke first deciding to break the ice. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. What's yours?"_

_The boy turned to look at Naruto with an eyebrow raised over his shades making Naruto wonder if he did something wrong. For a second he though this boy was told to stay away from him like everyone else. "Aburame Shino…"_

"_Nice to meet ya Shino." Naruto stated with a smile before looking foreword. Shino did the same and silence was all there was between them. Though, Naruto looked around a bit and noticed people still staying away from them. "So Shino, you have any friends?"_

"_No…" The replay came out flat and to the point. It however made Naruto frown._

"_Why not?" _

"_I make people uncomfortable." That made Naruto frown even more as well as confused. He though he was the only one that made people uncomfortable._

"_Why?" At that, Shino turned his attention to Naruto again with that same eyebrow raised above his shades again. _

"_My allies," he started raising his hand so Naruto could see. "I make people uncomfortable because of my allies." With that, several insects crawled out over his hand from his sleeve. Many crawled over his sleeve to the top of his coat and onto his neck where they went up further and disappeared into a hole behind his ear. Naruto watched this and for a moment went pale then his eye widened. Shino expected Naruto to back away like everyone else. The reaction that came instead actually caused him to physically recoil with both eyebrows over his shades in shock._

"_THAT'S COOL!" Naruto's outburst made half the people watching them blink in surprise, which was completely ignored by the blond. "Do they hurt? Can you talk to them? Are they in your entire body? Do you name them? Do they help you fight?..." Naruto started spitting out questions at a considerable rate that further confused Shino. No one had ever given him a reaction like that before. He saw Naruto was slightly creeped out by the bugs crawling out then back into him but apparently that wasn't an issue for the blond.

* * *

_

Sure Shino was a fairly silent friend but he was a friend. He was also smart which he appreciated. It helped a lot considering Iruka tended to go off on into boring lecture mode very easily. Shino took notes and showed Naruto how to do narrow the lecture down into important details and write them down. Despite how creepy he can be at times, he was a friend Naruto was glad he had.

Two years after that, was one of the most important events he had to date. While it wasn't a changing point like when he first made his promise, it did send a tidal wave into his life. It marked one of the happiest moments in his life. A moment he would never give up for anything. Just thinking about it brought a few tears to his face forcing him to stop his strikes against the log so he could wipe his eyes.

* * *

**Flashback Naruto Age 9, Hokage's Office

* * *

**

_When he came in, he was being lead by an ANBU. It wasn't often that one of them got him by request of the Hokage but it did happen from time to time. Before he was 'collected' he was training himself hard. He was hoping to make a combat jutsu of some kind. He only really created one jutsu and he reserved it to for 'certain' targets. It never really something he would use in a serious battle. _

"_HEY OLD MAN!" Now normally ANBU don't show any form of emotion but his one apparently was used to dealing with Naruto as he bopped the boy over the head before disappearing._

"_Ah Naruto…" The old man got up from his desk looking happier then usual. "I see you have been training very hard."_

"_Of course!" Naruto smiled before crossing his arms in a confidant pose. "I told you, I'm gonna take your job one day."_

"_Yes, I do recall that promise." Now he went to a slightly more serious but still pleasant face. "I've called you here because I want you to meet someone."_

"_Really?" All that energy he used in training most have came back instantly. HE knew the Hokage got to meet cool people all the time so anyone the old man wanted him to meet would have to be great. _

"_Calm down Naruto…" He said with a chuckle as he ruffled the boy's hair. "In truth, you have seen this person before." That got a confused look from the boy. He was about to ask what the old man meant when a knock echoed from the door. "Ah, incredible timing." Winking at Naruto, he walked behind his desk sitting down and directed is attention to the door. This was the best spot in the room to see everything in his opinion. "Do come in!" He called out with a smile on his face. _

_When the door opened, Naruto froze where he stood. A woman walked inside dressed in a light blue Kimono with a white silk sash around her waist. Her eyes were a bright sea green. Her brown hair was cut to shoulder length yet hung in a way that made it seem longer. She looked at the boy frozen in front of her and took a couple of hesitant steps forward._

"_Uzumaki Naruto, meet Uzumaki Karui, your mother." The old man stated with a smile on his face._

"_Ma…mama?" Naruto said in almost a whisper. Odds are he didn't know it but tears were already silently falling from his eyes. _

"_My… son…" Her voice cracked just making those two words as she rushed forward and was on her knees hugging Naruto in moments. _

"_MAMA!!" Naruto cried as he hugged her in return crying out years of emotion held that he held in. A woman who had been in a coma for so long that he thought she would never awaken had finally come to him. Both held each other in tears, 9 long years of separation and they were finally together. Neither one of the noticed the old man send silent thank you to a blond woman who was standing just beyond the door. She in turn nodded before walking off.

* * *

_

"NARUTO! IT'S TIME FOR DINNER!" a female voice yelled out from behind Naruto. Turning around from the log he had been ruthlessly beating, he smiled before wiping a couple of tears from his eyes. Training usually gave him time to think about things. Sure his life as it stood sucked but over all, he was becoming stronger because of it. He had a reason to go on where most people would have given up. He found a friend and people precious to him. He realized that if he were ever given the choice, he would sacrifice his life to protect them all.


	3. Chapter 2: Against All Odds

**Disclaimer: **I cannot claim ownership of any part of Naruto, as it is not mine to begin with.

**Author's Note:** Next chapter shall have team placement. It has been expressed to switch it up so I guess (unless a sudden influx of people tell me not to) I shall switch up the rookie nine. As such, there were also a few team suggestions as well as using Anko as Naruto's sensei. If that is agreeable then I will do it but for now I consider the vote still open.

Switch Team Setup, Yay or Nay

(Still up to suggestions)

ALSO…

Anko the Jonin Sense… Yay or Nay?

Finally… Do review if you can… believe it or not but they do make me feel better about this. It lets me know I'm doing something right.

Next Chapter will take longer to do as I have to chose teams and set up a convincing reason for them to be together.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 2: Against All Odds

* * *

**

Guard duty could be considered the easiest and most dangerous duty one could ever have. Guarding the Council chambers where the elder and many if not all the clan heads meet with the hokage to discuss issues was the most important guard duty you could get. Now normally, the only danger was from outside trying to get in but over the last year, a new member was added to the council. Uzumaki Karui joined the clan side of the council, as she was the oldest and only known member beyond Naruto. It quickly became known that she wasn't the calmest person there; she quickly became murderous when someone raised an issue about her son.

"What do they talk about in there anyway?" A chunin guard spoke. He was a young man by the looks of him and apparently one of the fresh chunin from the last exam held.

"Just the important things like village funding, security, they even talk about that Uzumaki boy." The other chunin guard spoke. He was older then his partner by a few years it seemed. He even had a few visible scars across his face to prove his experience.

"Uzuma…. You mean the fox brat?"

"THAT'S ONE!" Came a voice from the other side of the door confusing the younger guard.

"Don't call him names or you will regret it." The older one spoke while the younger one looked at the door the voice came from.

"What are you talking about? What could that little demon brat do to me now?" The older guard just shook his head.

"THAT'S TWO! JUST ONE MORE… COME ON!" The door shook slightly from that outburst from inside making the younger guard even more confused.

"What is going on in there?"

"Actually, that's being yelled to you." The older guard took several steps away from his confused partner as he spoke. "You see, the boy's mother was added to the counsel and she is very protective of him. She tends to attack people just for insulting him." Looking on at his partners continued confusion he decided to hurry up with his warning before the other said anything else. "Just don't insult the boy or call him anything. We've only recently got her to give warnings."

"What happened before?"

"The best I can tell you is that we used to have a medic stationed with us." Suddenly getting a feeling, he took another step back from his younger partner.

"Pshh… How strong could the mother of that little monster be?" No sooner did the young man say that did he here a foom sound from behind the door. The next thing he knew, the door exploded and everything with black. The older just sighed as he looked in from the hole in the door.

"Lord Hokage, should I take him to the hospital or leave him there?"

"It's alright, take him to get checked out." The old man stated ignoring the proclamation of 'That's three' coming from the young woman with her arm out stretched towards the door. With the young ninja leaving, he turned back towards the council with acting as if the door wasn't just blown up in his presence. "Now, since it has been mentioned, I would like to bring up three issues concerning one Naruto Uzumaki. The first issue is his being accepted as a genin of Konoha."

"Lord Hokage, should the boy become a genin, I believe it would be wise to limit the missions he can take." Spoke an old man calmly from his seat. "While he may have the potential to be a strong Shinobi, sending him on missions outside our gates increases the risk that he is taken by an enemy."

"If you will excuse me Mitokado Homura, but I have yet to fully catch up to the current situation. What enemy are we speaking of?" Karui spoke in a soft formal voice. Her tone and lack of expression made it hard to believe she just assaulted a poor ninja because of exceptional hearing a few moments ago. "It isn't a concern of rock ninja as extremely few people outside this room know who his father is."

"You are right, this isn't about rock ninja." Spoke an elderly woman sitting next to Homura. "This is about an organization of missing ninja known as the Akatsuki."

"The Akatsuki?"

"Yes…" The Hokage spoke up drawing attention on him. "My former student has had an impressive network of spies working under him for quite some time. He discovered the Akatsuki because of that network. From what information he has gathered, they have been searching for Tailed Beast and have even captured a couple already."

"Wait, you mean they are hunting the demons? For what purpose and why would they target my son?" She managed to hold back the expression of concern she was feeling as she spoke. "True he has the demon fox sealed within him but shouldn't that same seal also mean they can't get to the demon?"

"I wish that was the case but it appears that the first demon they have captured was sealed within a human container." That got a gasp from a couple others besides Karui. Apparently that little bit of information was new to them. "We don't know how the demon was extracted but the process evidently kills the host as a side effect."

"I, see…" She looked down mentally feeling sorry for that person. They were chosen to hold a dangerous demon and ended up killed for it. Somehow she knew that person was discarded as if they were nothing afterwards. "If that is the case then I believe that limiting what Naruto does would be a bad thing to do."

"I don't understand how keeping him safe would be a bad thing." Homura stated surprised that the woman who often proved to be protective of the demon container would take that risk. Truthfully, he expected her to agree with once she learned of the danger outside the village.

"You said it yourself, he has the potential to be a powerful shinobi." She looked at the old man before closing her eyes. "If we don't allow that potential to grow by limiting what he does, we put him in far more danger."

"But sending him on the eventual missions that place him outside the gates…" the elderly woman spoke up to be cut off.

"Puts him at risk, I know." A smile made its way on Karui's face as she looked at the elderly woman. "But, if we let him get stronger, gain the experience he needs and can only get on missions outside our gates, he will know how to truly defend himself." She took the time to look at every person in the council chamber. Veteran ninja were looking at her with neutral faces, something that really couldn't be developed without experience. "Everyone here has had experience with the harsh realities of our world. How long do you think anyone of us would have lasted if we never got to learn and experience what was out there?"

With a sigh, it seemed both Homura and the old woman dropped the issue though they felt it was a bad ideal. That left two more issues that were raised to be discussed. The Third as he was called made sure that the room was silent before he brought up the next issue that was given to him. "The next issue to discuss is his possible possession of a new blood limit." That immediately got the attention of everyone in the room. Homura felt the need to bring up keeping Naruto in the village again considering this.

"Lord Hokage, what proof do you have of this?" Came the calm yet stern voice from a 'white eyed' man seated in the back row of the chamber.

"I'm sure you have al been made aware of Naruto's unusual acts as of late?"

"I'm sorry, but I was under the impression that those were rumors." Spoke a tired looking man as the 'pleasantly plump' man next to him nodded.

"It is also known that the Forth nor Uzumaki Karui have shown any signs of having any unusual traits beyond the ability to shift emotions on a whim." Stated a man with a very long trench coat and shades. His voice was completely monotone as he spoke. "And such rapid change in emotional conditions is often characterized as a medical problem."

Half the room couldn't tell if he just told a joke or not but there were a few snickers while Karui fought off a blush of embarrassment. Shaking his head the third motioned with his hand and a white sheet lowered itself from the ceiling behind him as a projector rose from the center of the room. As soon as they were in position, the projector started showing captured footage of Naruto in various spars at the academy.

"I want you all to pay close attention to everything you see here. This is a three way spar between Nara Shikamaru, Izuko Karama, and Uzumaki Naruto." He turned to towards the projection as it started up. The first thing that they noticed was the Nara boy lazily put up his guard and watches both Karama and Naruto. The other two met into a taijutsu fight that was pretty basic though Naruto's form was sloppy. At first glance, Naruto was on the losing end of the exchanges until something changed it the middle of the fight. This change caught the attention of the two of the most observant of the council. Naruto's strikes began to mimic the ones Karama were throwing to a near perfect degree causing the fight to go into a stalemate. It only broke up because Karama suddenly froze for a second allowing him to take a hard punch that sent him to the floor.

Naruto turned his attention to Shikamaru who was holding himself in a stance the lazy council member recognized. The boy got out of it and started to block Naruto's strikes which were still mimicking Karama's with a little bit of difficulty. Naruto would have continued to assault until he jumped away from the Nara boy. The projection had no sound but being able to read lips allowed them to see Naruto mouth off to Shikamaru about not falling for the same trick a forth time. It if was by instinct or he knew Naruto ducked forward avoiding a kick sent towards the back of his head by the recovered Karama then rolled backwards so that both boys were in front of him. That was when 'it' happened.

"That's not possible!" The lazy man spoke up looking completely awake for once. Those that couldn't hide their shock had their mouths wide open. Naruto's shadow projected itself not only over Karama's but Shikamaru's as well. He had a grin on his face as the Nara boy had a look of complete shock on his face. He walked all three of them together moved his head back and sent it forward intent on a three way head butt. If it weren't for the fact that Shikamaru knew how to cancel the move placed on him, it would have been a three-way knock out. Instead, Karama and Naruto were out cold on their backs. Naruto was sporting two lumps on his head while Karama had one. Apparently Naruto didn't know about the downside of that particular jutsu. The projection suddenly stopped as the projector lowered itself and the screen rose up back into the ceiling.

"Lord Hokage… how is that possible?" The man spoke up no longer showing the laziness he was before. "That is a family technique, it can't even be copied by the sharingan. How did he copy it?" He even looked at Karui to see if she could answer it.

"That is just it… He didn't copy it." The Third held up his hand to stop the sudden stuttering of buts. "He mimicked it."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Spoke another council member.

"In this case no." The old man went to a folder he had on a desk in the corner of the room before coming back to the center. "I've been watching him grow up and I've noticed something interesting. It appears that Naruto can mimic the actions of just about everything he sees." He paused as murmurs erupted around the room. It forced him to speak up so they could hear him over their words. "He however cannot hold on to that action for longer then a few minutes." That silenced the council as they looked at him once more. "Now I'm not quite sure if he has complete knowledge of what he is doing and I do not know what the limits of this is but I do know that it is a new blood line."

"How, how could have just suddenly have a bloodline?" Another council member spoke up. "Could it the demon have found away to manipulate him?" That got more murmurs to erupt at the thought of the demon suddenly gain some form of control.

"I assure you that is not the case. In fact, this knowledge has explained something that was discovered long ago." He made a gesture causing a kunoichi to enter the room holding a stack of folders that she passed around the room. Turning to the hokage, she bowed before exiting in a puff of smoke. In turn, all the council members opened the folder and started reading. Many of them suddenly held a look of shock on their faces. Karui already knew and just looked to gauge the expressions. "As you can see, over the course of a month after the sealing, the boy's chakra system altered grew into an unusual pattern and continued to alter itself for over a year. It is what allows the demon's chakra to filter into his body without harming him. This came with two side effects. The first being his ability to temporally mimic the actions of another. The second being an usually potent ability to sense chakra which I personally believe is also what allows him to mimic far more then physical actions."

"So, as a result, a new bloodline limit has been formed."

"That is what I believe. Doctors have told me that they believe it is something that could be passed on to his off spring." More of the room was paying attention at this point. "This leads me to the third issue, how do we handle this?"

* * *

**Ninja Academy Sparing Grounds**

* * *

"CLONE JUTSU!" a loud voice rang out. Class was over; most everyone went home except for a young blond boy. Besides him was a pale version of himself that looked well beyond dead and crippled. This one jutsu was frustrating him greatly. Sure he could do it when he saw someone else do it but when he did it on his own, it always failed horribly. He had no idea why, even after practicing multiple times after watching, it started to fail and would continue to fail. His aggravation was showing as a string of swears echoed from him. If he is ever to pass, he needed this jutsu and if he couldn't do it…

"Having problems Naruto?" A voice spoke to him causing him to stop what he was doing. He turned to see a white haired chunin walking up to him with a smile on his face. "Oh, hello Mizuki-sensei. What are you doing here?"

"Well I noticed some rather loud cursing and decided to investigate." The man chuckled lightly before roughly rubbing Naruto's head. "So what's the problem?"

"I can't do this damn jutsu on my own." The boy angrily brushed his hand off in the process of rubbing his own hair in frustration. "How am I post to be hokage if I can't do this stupid jutsu!"

"Well… There is away to be put in the running for hokage…" He paused then turned around so Naruto couldn't see his face. "No, you couldn't do it."

"WAIT!" Naruto ran in front of him with a determined look in his eyes. "What were you going to say? Come on, I can do anything! I WILL DO ANYTHING!" He looked at the shocked expression on Mizuki's face before the man smiled.

"Alright Naruto, I will tell you just calm down." He leaned down next to the boy's ear. "There is a special test that we teachers can give to any student who ask for it." He looked around slowly before he continued. "You see, any student we think may be hokage material can be given this test."

"Really!" The boy yelled so loud that he had to fight off the instinct to cringe. "You think I can be hokage?"

"Of course, I've seen how hard you have been working." He smiled once more. "I'm going to give you the test Naruto. It will test your stealth, speed and skill all at once. You complete this task and I will not only put you in the hat for those that could be the next hokage. I will even give you a forehead protector marking you as a genin so you don't have to take the final test." He mentally smirked as Naruto who was looking at him for a moment broke out into a huge grin.

"Alright, tell me what to do sensei."

* * *

**Hokage's Office Two Hours Before Midnight**

* * *

The old man sat silently in his office as he looked out the window from his chair. The room was dark as he had yet to turn on the lights deciding to let a single candle at the center of his desk light his room with it's flames. The light danced and flickered casing his shadow to dance in the darkness that consumed the room. The door to his room jerked open violently yet he paid no attention to it. A woman rushed in panting heavily as she did so with a look of panic on her face.

"Lord Hokage, My son…" The woman yelled out before she was cut off by his suddenly raising a hand to silence her. She looked at the old man on confusion before her worry over powered it. She was about to say something when he spoke.

"He will be fine." He stated in a calm voice as he looked outside his window.

"But… my son…"

"Is a remarkable young man." He smiled as he turned to the obviously worried woman. "And he will some day become the greatest ninja this village has ever seen." Suddenly a chunin rushed into his office with a scared and worried look on his face.

"LORD HOKAGE!"

"Yes, what is it?" His voice took on one of concern yet the woman could see his eyes. The man wasn't worried at all. Something was going on.

"The boy… HE HAS STOLEN THE FORBIDDEN SCROLL!" He yelled out watching the old man frown.

"WHAT!" The woman yelled out. She was prepared to rush out when the old man's commanding voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Uzumaki Karui, you will stay here." Turning his attention to the chunin, the young man gulped at the serious expression the old men wore on his face. "Tell the ANBU to start the search. Code S…"

"Y-yes Lord Hokage!" The chunin disappeared out the door the speed he was moving causing it to close from the displaced wind. The old man then turned to Karui with a smile on his face as he put his pipe back in his mouth.

"Alright, what is going on?" She asked before she stood in a relaxed position. "You know more then you are telling don't you?" She heard the old man chuckle lightly.

"I don't know what you are talking about." With that he sat at his desk and blew out the candle before setting red cushion from a hidden compartment in his desk out followed by a large purple cloth pouch. Out of the pouch, he pulled out a clear crystal ball and placed it gently on the cushion. "Care to watch?" He asked lightly before making a few hand signs causing a rather blue aura to appear from the crystal ball before it cleared up showing a forest clearing where a little blond boy appeared to be training himself.

* * *

**Unknown Forest Area… Small Clearing**

* * *

He was breathing hard as he looked down at the massive scroll in his hands. He has bruises and scrapes as well as dirt and grass stains on his clothing and skin. Sweet was slowly drying up as he continued to read the scroll in front of him. He looked tired but he had a smile on his face nonetheless. He had just learned something that was very difficult for him at first and for him it was a huge accomplishment.

"NARUTO!" A voice yelled out as it appeared in the clearing rushing up to the boy. Turning his attention from the scroll, Naruto looked at a chunin with a scared nose before recognition dawned on him.

"Iruka-sensei? What are you doing here?" He asked generally confused.

"What am I doing here? WHAT YOU DOING HERE?" He yelled out before calming down. "Naruto, why did you steal the scroll?"

"Huh?" The boy blinked looking more confused before he rolled up the scroll and moved it to his side. "Mizuki-sensei said that if I could get this and complete the test, he would put my name in the running for being the possible next hokage."

The man in front of him blinked before he realized what was going on. The very second he understood what was happening; he heard the sound of weapons piercing the air. Out of pure instinct, he grabbed Naruto and shoved him to the side before several kunai hit him pinning him against the tree Naruto happened to be resting against.

"Hello Naruto, Iruka." Stated a white haired man as he landed on a branch across from the two. He had on his back where three very large shuriken that seemed to shine despite their black color. "Naruto, do you have the scroll?"

"DON'T GIVE HIM THE SCROLL!" Iruka yelled out before turning his attention to the ninja in the tree while pulling the kunai from his limbs. "MIZUKI, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"This is a means to an end." The man smirked as he took a giant shuriken from his back and started to spin it in his hand. "You see, I'm planning to leave and that scroll will give me the power I will need. Now hand it over Naruto."

"NO, Naruto, run far away from here." Iruka stood up holding a kunai that had his own blood on it. He watched his former friend frown as Naruto took a step back holding on the to the oversized scroll.

"Don't get in my way Iruka, I'm going to get that scroll as well as kill the demon so even if I am caught, I will be considered a hero. I will have the perfect alibi." Suddenly he smirked as he looked at the boy.

"DON'T!" Iruka yelled out suddenly.

"Hey Naruto! You ever wonder why everyone hates you?" Iruka looked ready to jump up and attack Mizuki before Naruto grabbed his arm.

"Don't listen to him Naruto." He stated as he looked at Naruto who looked scared yet at the same time he wanted to know what was going to be said.

"You know about the demon that attacked twelve years ago. How the forth killed it." His smirk grew into a small grin as he spoke. "It was a lie. He couldn't kill it. Instead he sealed it, turning the great beast into a child. That child is YOU! YOU ARE THE NINE TAILED FOX!" He mentally laughed expecting the boy to break down as he connected everything that has happened to him. He expected the boy to turn into a weak sniveling shell. Iruka wasn't even paying attention to Naruto as he tightened his grip on the kunai he held. He was prepared to kill his former friend now. He just broke the law just to break the boy's spirit. He knew Naruto wasn't the demon, he knew the boy only as Naruto. He was prepared to defend him until he heard something that broke him out of his thoughts and anger.

"SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!" Iruka and Mizuki both turned their attention on the blond boy in shock. That shock multiplied as nearly all around them they saw clones of the boy, each glaring at Mizuki. Naruto himself walked in the only spot where the clones weren't covering looking rather angry.

"It's idiots like you that make our village look bad. First you confuse me with a five billion ton demon fox. Second, you insult my own mother by thinking she wouldn't tell me the truth about what happened to me. You then insult the Fourth's work when he died sealing the demon. And finally, the worst thing you could have possibly done." If Mizuki wasn't panicking before, he was now as he saw each and every clone start to close in around him. "YOU HURT IRUKA SENSEI!"

* * *

**Back In the Hokage's Office**

* * *

The two watching the event take place winced as they heard and saw the horrible beating Mizuki suffered. It didn't help that the man screamed himself unconscious throughout the beating. Karui looked at the old man who had a smile on his face as he ended the jutsu on the crystal ball.

"You knew the entire time." She had a small smile on her face as he chuckled. "What about the scroll and what is code S?"

"As I said, your son is a remarkable young man." He put away the crystal ball and cushion for it. "Quite bright for someone his age. The moment Mizuki told him the details of his little test; he knew it was a lie and a bad one at that. He came to me with the information so we made preparations. Though I wasn't expecting Iruka to show up of all people."

"Well it helps to know he is as protective of my son as I am."

"True…" He smiled as he lit the candle on his desk and basked in his soft light. "The scroll is a fake, he never had the forbidden scroll."

"If that is the case then what does he have and what is code S?"

"Well he was having a little trouble with the clone jutsu so I decided to give him something better." He smiled before he held a hand up to keep her from saying something. "I know it is a jonin jutsu but I knew he could handled it. As for code S, well it isn't a real code. It is rather a signal that the operation has started. It was Naruto's idea actually. He even wanted to do the take down himself"

"But, he is just a child." She stated looking at the old man in disbelief that her son could have done all that.

"Oh, the ANBU would jump in should there had been a need to, I assure you." His smile was apparently infectious as she smiled as well. "You should be proud."

"I am." She actually had a small tear in her eye. "Despite all the hate around him, he continues to grow."

"I wouldn't expect any less from our future hokage."


	4. Chapter 3: Manipulation and Graduation

**Disclaimer: **I do not Own Naruto or any of the franchise.

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry this is so very late. A black cat stepped on my computer, so I had to go get a new one.

…

…

…

Now in all seriousness, I am sorry I'm so late with this chapter. I actually replaced my motherboard and processor for a stronger one. That required my uncle to erase my hard drive and reload everything. I lost my reference material. I've decided on the teams I want and who to train them. I've also decided that I shall try for multiple love interest for Naruto though don't expect much from that. I don't think I qualify as a romantic. I'm already working on the planed follow up chapter to this one and I've decided for yet another vote. What can I say, I like reader participation.

First vote is simple. Should I deal with the Wave Arc or Make my own?

Second vote, How many for Naruto? I'm not going to have everyone after him.

Third Vote… Who? Due keep it of the female cast… AND PROPER AGE!

Forth Vote… Female or Male Haku… I know the Wave Arc is up in the air but either way, I plan on having this particular character survive regardless of Naruto going or not.

And on a Final Note, I plan to restart my other story. I would like suggestions on what I can do to fix it in the process. Mind you Grammar and spelling Errors will always show up. I can't help it… blame the school that let me pass.

Thank you for reviewing. I can only hope I can keep from disappointing you all.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 3: Manipulation and Graduation

* * *

**

Hyuga Hiashi could easily be considered a very cold and heartless man. He did send his eldest daughter away to become a genin of Konoha because she was viewed too weak to serve the clan. It didn't help that he stated this while she was with in earshot of him. Even worse, to add to his negative reputation, in his training of his younger daughter, he was ruthless. Some say the poor girl could often be seen sporting chakra burns over half her body as well as bruises. Oh yes, he had a horrible image, one that was feared both in and outside clan and family. Yet, despite this image, he was always planning, always plotting for the benefit of his daughters and clan. He cared for them more then he would or could ever show. He treated Hinata rough to make her stronger but it broke her confidence. He knew, and it pained him, so he sent her away. He treats Hanabi just as rough and yet she endures and grows strong. He could see it; his eldest who was so kind that she could show the lowest of creatures mercy needed someone to fight for. She needed someone who could drive her to face her weakness and grow stronger to over come them rather then let them break her down further. That was something, he couldn't provide her but maybe, she would find it outside the clan.

Now, he found it, that inspiration she needed and it came to him in a manor he never expected. The demon child, the fox reborn, the savior of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto had gained something from his sacrifice. The child had gained a kekkei genkai, a blood limit that the Council dubbed the Ketsueki Kagami. The Blood Mirror, the ability to mimic nearly any action preformed withen a currently unknown radius of the boy. True, it didn't sound like anything special to him when he first heard of it. Even video footage where he mimicked a family jutsu that originally was only useable by the Nara clan didn't impress him that much. No, it was the test he had preformed out of curiosity that truly put his attention on the boy. You see, he had a branch member of the Hyuga Clan challenge to boy to a little contest. He was to show the boy three things, and all Naruto had to do was mimic them. If he couldn't, then he had to spend the little bit of money he had on the Hyuga's next meal. If he won, then the Hyuga would buy his next meal.

The results were shocking to say the least. After the first two acts that consisted of easy to perform jutsu, the last was the activation of the Byakugan. The shock came at that moment, the pupil of the boy's bright blue eyes shrunk down till it appeared to no longer, the bright blue grew out until it seemed like it was the only color there then finally, the vain that were a clear sign of an active Byakugan appeared from the sides of his eyes. To prove he did it, the Hyuga made the boy look through a wall and point out what he could see. He could see quite a bit but nothing beyond his normal visual range. In fact, that seemed to be one weakness in the boy's kekkei genkai, it could not full copy others. He didn't have the extended range or the 360-degree view that the Byakugan had, but his vision was apparently sharper and he could even see the chakra system clearly. This is also where the second weakness was exposed, though in this case, it became a great weakness. Three minutes after the Hyuga deactivated the Byakugan, Naruto's eyes struck him with an apparently blinding pain. The side effect of mimicking the Byakugan was that the process of his eyes returning to normal from the unnatural state they were in hurt very badly. That meant he would have to be careful of what he mimics when it concerned blood lines, otherwise could do considerable damage to himself limiting his ability to fight till he recovered.

As for the boy being the inspiration Hinata needed, he knew she watched him from time to time when she caught him alone. She wasn't blind to the hate he constantly faced; yet he always stood strong. He bounced back from the abuse he suffered and continued to live. Hiashi saw her throw herself into her training after her encounters. It wasn't enough to break her from the shell he placed her in which saddened him. But, thanks to this new kekkei genkai possessed by the boy she seemed to admire, he finally had away to help her even if it was indirectly. The problem was how, he had a plan but it had to be pulled off carefully.

* * *

**Hyuga Council Chambers**

* * *

There they sat, the elder members of the Main Branch of Hyuga, the Hyuga Council. While Hiashi headed the Hyuga as a leader and figurehead, they handled the internal affairs with what he called an iron fist. Not that he would say it out loud, but he truly heated the council. They were the reason the internal hatred existed between the main and branch families.

"Lord Hiashi," spoke an especially old Hyuga. If it weren't for their different ages, you would think that they were all the same person. Each one wore the calm mask the Hyuga were known for. "You called this meeting to ask for something. May I ask what that might be?"

"I am here to request aid in the manipulation of the Genin examination and selection process. I wish for a team to be formed between Hyuga Hinata and Uzumaki Naruto." He didn't react to the few gasp and flinches to his proposal.

"Why do you wish to placed your daughter with the container?" Another elder spoke.

"I am sure you read the reports from the ninja council as well as my own findings." He paused a moment to see if anyone had a comment before continuing. "I wish for my daughter to get to know the boy. If she can gain the boy's affection, then she could possibly be including into the family he shall start and produce…"

"Offspring, you are getting ahead of yourself." Voiced an elderly female elder. "Why do you even seek a union between that boy and your child?"

"We are currently the strongest clan in this village, however, the potential that comes from that boy's kekkei genkai is staggering. If left unchecked, the any family that is raised from his blood could become enough to unseat us. If we can gain some control, even minor control, over it's development and how it spreads, we will be able to maintain the power and image we uphold. Also, as we learn more about the strengths and weaknesses it possesses, we can learn to counter it, control it, and add to our strength." Mentally, he had a smirk on his face. The council seemed to exist for two things, power and the maintaining of that power. They didn't like the chance of another clan growing stronger then the Hyuga threatened them, yet the idea that they could gain power always got their interest. He waited silently as they whisper amongst their selves.

"You have our support Hiashi but on one condition." The elder looked at the others who in turn nodded in approval. "When Hanabi is of age, she to will attempt to add her name to the Uzumaki boy's list." Ok, so he wasn't expecting that.

"May I ask why?"

"It is known that currently, Hanabi is stronger then Hinata. Should that difference in strength remain by that time, and then she will be far more capable of producing powerful Hyuga. Also, should both your daughters end up strong, then we as Hyuga will gain strength as a result."

"I understand."

"If that is all, this meeting is over. You are dismissed."

* * *

**Two Weeks Later, Ninja Academy Genin Exam**

* * *

"Alright class!" A young chunin with a scar across his nose spoke as he entered a rather noisy classroom. It seemed no one heard him as they all continued to speak with each other with the exception of three students. Shikamaru was sleeping, Shino was sitting perfectly still while looking straight, and one Uchiha Sasuke was in the corner silently staring out the window. "Class!" the chunin spoke up yet still got no response.

"QUIET!!!" He yelled out which in turn got the entire class and even a couple civilians who were passing by outside the school to be perfectly silent. "Now, today, you will all take an exam that would show if you are ready to be genin of Konoha or not. I know some of you may be nervous but I am confidant that you will pass. Remember, You have worked hard to get here, now it's time for you to show what you have learned." With that, the door slid open and in walked a young Hyuga woman who looked to be no older then the chunin teaching. By the way she wore her forehead protector, it was obvious to one person in the room she was of the branch family.

"I am Hyuga Ame." She smiled pleasantly ash she bowed towards the class. "I shall be assisting your teacher Umino Iruka during this test. Just know however, if I find you cheating…" That smile turned into a scowl as her byakugan activated causing a classroom wide shiver amongst the students. "I will do more then fail you." With that, she began to pass out test sheets.

"Alright, this test is in three parts. The written exam, weapon accuracy, and finally the practical skills. All of these test are important so please do your best." Just as he was done speaking, Ame walked back to him. "You may begin."

With that, they started writing. Well, they sort of started writing. Shikamaru wrote his name, one answer, and then half of another before he just set his pencil down and went to sleep. Choji wrote pausing to eat chips. Hinata was hesitant in her writing but she carefully wrote every answer. Ino and Sakura would write, glare at each other, stare at Sasuke who was focused on his test then go back to their own test. Kiba looked lost and confused. Shino was silently writing, not that you would expect him to do anything else. Then we come to Naruto, he read over each question carefully as he started to place his answers. All in all, it wasn't extremely tough a test. However as he got to the half way mark on his test, his vision started to blur. He had no idea why, at the same time, he could feel something in the air.

"…Chakra…"

"No talking Naruto."

"Sorry Iruka-sensei." Naruto stated before casting a side-glance at the classroom. It seemed he was the sole target the chakra he was feeling and the effect was getting worse. He was drowsy, and felt himself on the borderline of being conscious and unconscious. He had to think, but it was hard, he wanted to sleep. He managed to think about the lessons he had. What could put a person in a state that made them wish to sleep even when they were fully rested? Shino cast a sidelong glance at Naruto as his head started drooping. Naruto on the other hand had figured it out. Genjutsu, the chakra he was feeling was part of it. Now he wished he paid more attention to lessons on how to break it because at that very moment, a loud thump was heard in the classroom. His head slammed into the desk, he was out cold.

"Naruto!" Iruka yelled out with concern. He had seen the boy sleep in class before but he never just passed out like that. He was about to rush over to him until Ame held her hand in front of him.

"Let me check him, you continue to watch the class." She calmly stated as she walked to where Naruto was seated and knelt down next to him. Her byakugan became active so she could see the genjutsu do its work on him. She tapped his shoulder lightly and even lifted his head to look in his eyes. They were glazed over because of the jutsu but she didn't' say anything. She could see Shino's eyebrow twitch at what she was doing but she wasn't concerned about him saying anything. "It's alright, he must have been exhausted when he came here. Must have been too excited or nervous to sleep." Now Shino's eyebrow was raised. He got the feeling that the Hyuga was up to something but until he had proof, he couldn't do anything as of yet.

"Try to wake him up, I don't want him to fail because of this." Iruka stated as his voice held concern in it. It would crush Naruto to find out he failed because he couldn't stay awake. In turn, Ame shook Naruto gently while making subtle changes to the genjutsu that was placed on him. He woke up slowly with the change while mumbling apologies. "It's alright Naruto, just try to stay awake ok?" With that, Ame patted Naruto on the shoulder, which made his arm partly numb yet he didn't notice yet because he was recovering. Finally, he started to write again getting into the test. The thing was, the last half of the test, several questions were different to his eyes then what they really were. When the test was ended, he heard a bell that took his attention off of his test paper. At the same time, he felt something leave. The chakra he was feeling just stopped all of a sudden. He shrugged it off as he handed in his test paper and got into a line that was forming. He was unconsciously moving his arm to get feeling into it. It was numb for some reason.

"Uzumaki…" Shino spoke standing behind him.

"Shino, I recall telling you to just call me Naruto."

"Something is going on… Naruto." Naruto blinked before half looking at the heavily covered bug user.

"What do you mean, what is happening?"

"I do not know as of yet. I believe it is nester to warn you. Someone may be trying to sabotage your chances of passing."

"Oh, ok." Naruto thought for a second before sighing. "Thanks Shino…" The boy nodded as Naruto went back to looking forward in line. He couldn't help but sigh, even though he got people who were on his side or at least neutral towards him, there were still a lot of people that hated him.

"Alright class, lets head outside." Iruka stated with a smile on his face.

* * *

**Academy Training Grounds**

* * *

It took less then a minute for every student to file out side for the next phase of the exam. Unfortunately, Naruto's arm was still numb. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't his towing arm but that was exactly it.

"Alright class," Iruka spoke up. "In this portion of the exam, you will get ten kunai and ten shuriken. Your goal is to hit as many as you can on the moving target. If you throw one at a time, you will get good scores for accuracy, but at the same time, you lose more points for missing. So if you want to get the better score for your misses, I suggest you throw as many as you can handle at one time."

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Ame called out holding a clipboard in her hands. "Your up first."

"Huh?" Naruto looked at her with slight confusion on her face. "Why am I first?"

"You are up first because of a certain skill you have. We would like to make sure that it's not in use for this test." Naruto grumbled to himself as he walked up to a line overlooking the targets. There were six targets total. Each target was swinging back and forth and placed at different distances from each other. The target furthest back was rather small, large enough to be hit multiple times but with a great deal of difficulty. With his arm still numb yet slightly easier to move then before, it was still a handicap. Taking the kunai first, he took three into one hand between his fingers then took another set of three for his other hand. In one swift motion, he threw all six at once. The ones from his healthy arm struck three of the targets along the middle dead center. His numb arm on the other hand, two missed the targets by barely an inch while the one that hit struck the edge of the target furthest from him.

"Damn, one more throw…" Taking the last four kunai in his healthy hand, he drew his arm back and threw. All four. Two impacted the target second from the back while the remaining two struck the swinging targets at the center. Next, he took the shuriken in his good hand and used his numb hand told hold them so he could snatch and throw them quickly. This was much faster then the kunai as he threw three volleys of three then took the final shuriken and tossed it with as much strength as he could. It was a surprising throw for the last one as it actually cut through the third target from the back and continued on ward to hit the last one dead center.

"Good job Naruto." Iruka stated while smiling an approving smile towards the little blond boy. "Now follow Ame back into the building for the final phase of the exam."

"Yes Iruka-sensei." Naruto replied. Ame for her part prepared to leave only stopping to make look at Hinata who had worried gaze on her. The shy girl maybe the weakest of the main branch but she wasn't blind. Ame knew this, she also had no animosity towards the girl so she gave the girl a reassuring look before walking forward with Naruto following. Hinata saw the look but she wasn't comfortable yet. The Hyuga were still sabotaging Naruto's exam and she couldn't understand why. Shino was also coming to that thought yet he wondered why they would target specifically. The sabotage was set to lower his overall final score but not fail him. What good could come of doing such an act eluded him. He was glad he tagged a couple of insects to Naruto when he talked to him. Of the couple one had returned reporting that one of Naruto's arms had a much smaller chakra flow then normal, which explained why he wasn't getting the usual performance from it. If they fail Naruto at the final portion of the exam or grade him on a below average score, then he would be placed on a level close to that of Shikamaru. That would make him out to be among the dead last of the academy, genin that would need the most work in order to be truly consider below average ninja. The only thing this manipulation would do is alter the team placement.

"It can't be that simple." Shino muttered under his breath. He took a glance at Hinata who continued to stare off where Naruto had gone. Even he was aware of the girl's reputation amongst the Hyuga. With the knowledge of a new Kekkei Genkai held by Naruto, would the Hyuga Clan go through the trouble of manipulating the exam just to insure a greater chance of their heir and the Uzumaki becoming attached?

* * *

**Final Exam Room**

* * *

Hyuga Ame led Naruto into the classroom where the final exam was to be held. Inside, the floor was completely flat and there was plenty of room to fit multiple people at once. It was also fairly empty except for the two tables. One table held the forehead protectors that would be granted to those who passed. Already sitting the other desk looking over a clipboard looked to be yet another Hyuga. This one was aged which could be seen by their graying hair yet he held an aura of superiority that could be frightening if Naruto really cared about it. Next to him was a young chunin instructor that he often around the other classrooms.

"Ah, Uzumaki Naruto, could you please stand before us." He stated completely ignoring Ame as if she didn't exist. The girl looked very tense and though she had the calm stoic appearance on her face, her eyes showed a small trace of fear that Naruto managed to catch before she walked out the room. Naruto took his place in front of the men with a smile etched on his face. While his arm still bothered him, it was recovering and he was sure he could pass easily.

"Alright Naruto, to pass this portion of the exam is easy. All you have to do is show us what we require of you. First up, replacement." With less then a than a flinch, a kunai rocked towards Naruto with decent speed. For a second, it looked like it struck the boy right in his head until he puffed into smoke revealing a log that was prepared for such techniques. One second later, Naruto dropped down from the ceiling scowling at the instructor.

"What the hell! You could have gave me a little more warning!" he shouted pointing an accusing finger at the man.

"Yes, but then, how much warning would an enemy give you?" He replied with a smile. Naruto just huffed before crossing his arms.

"Anyway, the next jutsu you are to perform is the clone jutsu." The Hyuga stated. Naruto just smiled before forming a single hand sign that got the attention of both men. A second later, the room was filled with Narutos, half of which were leaning against the wall. The elderly Hyuga was impressed to say the least. 'There are close forty clones here. All from the Shadow Clone Jutsu.' His Byakugan flared as he looked at each clone. 'And even the clones hold his altered chakra system. With this power in the Clan, we could possibly do more then just act as the strongest clan in Konoha.'

"Very good, lastly, we just need you to transform into one of us and then we total up your scores." The young chunin stated. He suddenly felt afraid as every Naruto in the room smirked. 'Why hasn't he released the clones?' The original Naruto transformed into the chunin, which is what the man wanted him to do. It was a perfect copy as far as they were concerned. Two seconds later, every clone suddenly transformed. In their place was an army of young blond girls in pigtails with what could be called the perfect figure. Add to the fact that each of the girls was apparently only covered by white puffy clouds of smoke didn't help distract from the fact they were completely naked.

"So, did we pass?" One asked in a rather seductive tone. The next second the chunin's face turned into a deep shade of red before he rocked out of his seat into the wall from a massive nose bleed. The impact knocked him completely unconscious. The Hyuga however remained motionless. On closer inspection, Naruto found the man passed out. He had the stoic unfeeling mask that lost its effect as blood trickled down form his nose. All the clones vanished as he walked over to the old Hyuga and poked him in the shoulder. The man fell out of his chair stiff as a board while the impact woke up the chunin. Had it be Iruka, Naruto would have gotten an earful talking about inventing stupid jutsu but this one was far too embarrassed to say anything. He just tossed Naruto a protector while telling him never to mention what just happened there.

"Congratulations on passing Naruto, now head home. Come back in two days to be placed on your team and await your Jonin sensei." Naruto nodded before rushing out the room cheering like the child he truly was. It wasn't often the he would get a chance to do so after all. The moment he was gone, the Hyuga woke u from his stunned state and sat back in his chair as if nothing happened.

"Are they low enough?" He asked without looking at the chunin.

"Yes Lord Hyuga. I shall make sure that he is placed as ordered."

"Good…" He paused a moment before looking directly at the chunin with a glare. "The results of that jutsu never leave this room."

"Jutsu… what jutsu?" The now terrified chunin asked backing up fearfully.

"Exactly."

* * *

**Hokage's Office, Late Afternoon**

* * *

The desk was surprisingly clean as the last jonin entered the room, two hours late. The old man sat quietly as they conversed amongst their selves. He was reading the list of graduates and team placements as submitted by the academy teacher council. He was surprised that Naruto's score was below average. He expected the boy to pass higher then that considering he made fairly decent grades. Even more surprising was the team placements. Clearing his voice, all talk in the room ended leaving a perfect silence that could only be achieved by a room full of ninja.

"I have here the list of graduates and how they will be teamed together. I want each of you to come up here and choose a team that you wish to test. If that team passes your test, then they will officially become your team to teach and train to become true ninja of the leaf." With a smile he placed the paper on the edge of his desk. "Kakashi, your team has been chosen for you due to the placement of Uchiha Sasuke. Everyone else, please pick your team." With that, the jonin stepped forward one by one till all but a single team was chosen.

"Lord Hokage, there appears to be one unpicked team. Are we missing someone?" The old man just smiled as he took back the sheet and looked at it.

"No, I believe I wanted this to be a surprise. She will never see anything like this coming. " He stated in a kind tone that held a little bit of mischief in it. "And I can already see, her team will be equal surprised."


	5. Chapter 4: Pass or Fail, Anko’s Test

**Disclaimer: **I do not Own Naruto or any of the franchise.

**Author's Note:** I shall point out a couple of things. I'm not a self-confidant person; I'm picky about what I write. I tend never to meet my own expectations. I'm not entirely happy with this chapter but I honestly couldn't come up with something that I thought I could write well. Every moment, I question if I'm butchering this. I really got to learn to leave the judging to the readers.

Now I believe 3 is as far as I'm willing to go as concerns romantic interest in Naruto. Hinata being one… With all the votes cast… It seems to me that 'Female' Haku and Temari are quite liked so I think I will go that route. Wave Arc will also be preformed and Sorry male Haku was out voted in favor of Female Haku. I shall do my best to try to put my own spin on things…

I shall have two questions at the end of this chapter.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 4: Pass or Fail, Anko's Test

* * *

**

To say she was upset would be equal to saying water was wet. For the past fifteen or so minutes, the Hokage had been listening to her angry ranting. By the look on her face, he could tell she was getting tired. Finally, she paused long enough to sit down and take deep breaths of air.

"Feel better?" He asked with a great deal of humor in his grandfatherly voice.

"No…" She stated with no venom or malice in her voice. She already wasted it all in the midst of her angry rant. "With all due respect Lord Hokage, why choose me to do something like this?"

"I believe that you are more then qualified." He smiled as she shook her head. "The main reason I'm doing this is because I want you to socialize more."

"So you stick me with a bunch of kids?"

"Yes," he stated as if there wasn't anything to his request. "But, it's not just any ordinary kids that you will get."

"What do you mean?" While she was trying to hide it, there was no stopping the interested tone she held in her voice.

"You have Aburame Shino, son of Aburame Shibi, Hyuga Hinata, daughter of Hyuga Hiashi…"

"A Hyuga?" She cut him off… "An Aburame is one thing, they are fairly quiet but you are saddling me up with one of those self important bastards!"

"Believe me when I say you will be surprised when you meet this one." He ignored her unbelieving huff as he continued. "Finally, You will get Uzumaki Naruto, son of…"

"Uzumaki Karui…" she stated with a look of shock on her face. "I get her son?"

"Yes…" The old man had a knowing smile on his face as he looked at the woman in front of him.

"I, I can't take that boy as a student!"

"Oh, why not?"

"It's her son, more importantly, it's his son." Looking at the old man's smile was enough to know that wasn't enough convincing. "Do you want me to ruin the boy?!"

"Anko," He smiled as he stood walking around his desk. "I have complete confidence in your abilities. You will do just fine." With that, he patted her on the shoulder and turned to walk out the door. Just as he opened it, he looked back at her as she sat in the chair as if a great weight was just placed on her shoulders. "The past is just that, the past. This is your chance to create a future. Not just for yourself but for those children as well. Please don't let it slip away." The last sound Anko heard was the door closing as she stared at the file folders in front of her.

" This sucks…" She let out a loud sigh before a grin appeared on her face. "I need comfort…"

* * *

**Ninja Academy Graduation Class**

* * *

Every young student that passed the genin exam was slowly filing into the room one by one. The first one inside was the ever stoic, completely self-important Uchiha Sasuke. Anyone who's ever seen him could see the boy wanted nothing to do with anyone. Next in was the silent extremely shy Hyuga Hinata. The girl would have quite the following if it weren't for the lack of confidence and her shy timid nature. She didn't come in alone, with her came Aburame Shino. This boy could easily be compared to a statue. Very silent, moved quietly yet his actions are precise and calculated. One by one, some times two and three at a time, graduates entered the classroom.

Now, Naruto had two fellow classmates concerned about his welfare. Those two happened to be the same two who came to class at the same time. Shino normally would have been second or first in class depending on the day. His bugs would be placed around the room so they would have perfect view of everything and thus could easily relay important information to him. This day was different however; he wanted to know what the Hyuga had planed for his hyper active blond friend. The best way to get that information was to ask a Hyuga he felt could be trusted should a sinister plot be in the works. It didn't look that way at the moment the to side with caution was never a bad thing. Hinata for her part was more then willing to help when he confronted her though she was deathly afraid of what could befall the blind. It also didn't help that she felt that anything she knew would be completely useless.

The Hyuga heir was not dumb by any means, nor was she blind. The evening after the genin exam and the day following it, her father seemed to be trying to beat lessons into her. Her basic grasp of the Hyuga fighting style was still full of flaws and she expected him to be trying to make her improve yet what he was teaching was not that but rather one of the advanced moves. The Heavenly Spin, he made her perform it repeatedly telling her that she must learn it for the sake of her team. This lesson was new to here because this is the first time he ever stressed learning anything for the sake of anything else but the clan. 'Learn this and protect your team. Protect them with everything you have or they will fall.' He told her in a stern voice. The thing that surprised her most was what he said before she collapsed from exhaustion and the strain of trying to perform that technique. 'Show him that you can be strong.' That left the question, who was he?

Between the two of them, Shino and Hinata came up with an idea. Rumors in both clans were that Naruto had acquired a bloodline ability. For Shino, it was more fact, as Aburame didn't deal with rumors. From what Hinata knew, there had been several meetings between the Hyuga Council and her father and rumors several branch members becoming more active as shinobi in control of the village rather then the main branch. The conclusion they thought of would be manipulating the team placement for Naruto so they could control his development. The flaw with that was that there was no active Hyuga Jonin that could take a team. Shino had a second conclusion that he didn't mention to Hinata. It was a simple thought; it would be far easier to manipulate her into controlling Naruto's development then trying to do it directly.

Looking at the situation from his seat, Hinata's lack of confidance would easly gain Naruto's attention should he be placed on the same team with her. The time he spent with the blond gave him insite on his personality. Naruto was the type who would seek justice and would help others in need. In theory, Shino speculated that Naruto could possibly drive himself into near suicidal situations to help someone if properly motivated.

"FIRST!" The loud cry of the two loudest girls in class came from the doorway as they tried to squeeze thorough. Sadly, it was loud enough to even break his own thought processes and it only grew louder as they yelled at each other while struggling to sit next to the Uchiha. It would be amusing if it weren't so sad. This sort of thing tended to happen daily with them. The only difference today is that Naruto has yet to come in.

"Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata?" A voice called out from the doorway. Both looked to the door to see their chunin instructor walk in holding a clipboard with two scrolls sitting on top of it. "Ah, there you are, I was instructed to give these to you. Naruto already has his and is waiting for you at the park." Shino nodded as he stood and collected the scroll from his former sensei. Hinata did the same though she looked apprehensive about it for a moment. On the scrolls, which had a blue strip in the center of them, the tag 'Team 5' could be seen.

"I assume that this means that we along with Uzumaki Naruto make up the members of Team 5?" Shino asked as conformation.

"That's right, your sensei told me to keep their identity a surprise though. So I can't tell you who they are." Iruka stated with a smile. "Please look after Naruto for me. I worry about him sometimes."

Shino nodded before turning his attention to the Hyuga next to him who had an intense blush on her face making it seem comically red. She was frozen to the spot it seems after she realized she was teamed with Naruto. "Lets go Hinata, we should not be late." He stated snapping her out of her shock. She followed though moving in a dazed manner. Iruka could only smile as they disappeared down the hall before he turns his attention to the class. They were all conversing quite loudly amongst their selves causing a vein to start pulsing in his head. A rather loud yell for quiet was all it took to silence them as well as the entire ninja academy. The man was just too good when it came to scaring people into silence.

"Alright graduates, you are the new genin of the leaf, you should be proud to have that title as it promises many things for the future. Now, you all will be separated into teams of three. Trust in your teammates as your life may depend on them one day. Now starting with team one…"

* * *

**Konoha Central Park **

* * *

Naruto had been to the park a few times in his life. It had always been an inviting place to see as it beamed with life. Sure it was never happy when he tried to play considering parents would snatch children away from his general area but it still was a nice looking place. Now however, he never felt so scared in his life. Not a single person was there, no man woman or child. The wind made him shiver as it held an ominous presence in it. To make it worse, he could have sworn that there was a giant snake running around. He never got a good look but he kept seeing signs like a fast moving tail or the glint of it's scaly hide.

"Uzumaki…" A monotone voice spoke causing the blond boy to jump. When he landed he was half into a fighting stance till he took a good look at who spoke and frowned half-heartedly.

"Damn it Shino!" He got out of his stance while clutching his chest in a mock heart attack. "Don't sneak up on me like that." He smiled as he saw the scroll he carried and took out his own. "I guess we are team mates. So who is the third person?"

"Um…" Naruto blinked at the quiet voice he heard as a very hesitant girl stepped out from behind Shino staring at the ground. "T…that would be… me." She kept her gaze on her feet as she raised the scroll she held for him to see. Naruto, for his part, blinked semi confused trying to remember who she was.

"HEY! I remember you!" He stated it so loudly it caused her to jump slightly and look at him. She held a surprised look on her face which he promptly ignored as he closed the distance on her in what felt like a second. "You're Hinata right?" Her silent nod was all the confirmation he needed before he let out a loud cheer. "I got all the cool people on my team!"

"I, I'm cool?" That statement generally confused her, no one had ever mentioned her in any good context that she was aware of.

"Well yeah!" The grin he had on his face caused the shy girl to blush lightly though in truth she would be blushing harder if she weren't holding it down. "You and Shino are very cool. I know you both are smart. I've seen Shino fight so I know he is strong. I've also seen Hyuga's fight and you are a Hyuga so that means you have to really strong."

"I, I'm n-not very good." She said frowning slightly.

"Nonsense, I bet your great." He voiced with such confidance that she looked up at him before managing to bring a small smile to her face. He nodded with his own smile before looking at Shino who stood quietly. "So, do you know what we are post to do with these things?" He asked holding up his scroll.

"Ah, my beautiful rival has finally taken a chance to enhance her beauty by testing a new team!" A very loud female voice exclaimed completely killing the mood set by whatever was running around the park. In a blur of blue and green, a woman appeared in front of the three genin with smile on her face. The woman was quite tall with deep brown hair tied into a thick ponytail that seemed to touch the ground behind her. She had a sleeveless sport top that exposed her stomach on as well as quarter of a jonin vest on that was barely longer then the sports top. Her pants were also of the sports variety and fit tightly to her body that was finished off with deep blue ninja sandals. Everything she wore was actually a deep blue with green lines accenting the outfit except for the vest that was a dark brown. It wasn't too bad to look at but the thing that made it stand out was the fact the woman was extremely attractive yet built look a tank.

Shino looked at her and saw a woman that looked to have been training all her life. Very visible muscles lined her stomach in what he recalled was referred to as a six-pack. Her biceps showed a great deal of tightened muscle. Her hands and forearms were gloved with the same color material as the rest of her. He was kind of wondering how he missed that detail when she showed up. Hinata looked at the woman and blushed slightly as she noticed how pretty she was. Add to that that the woman had an aura of confidance just radiating off of her that Hinata felt a little jealous. She wished she could have that same level of confidance but then, she felt like she was only a failure. Naruto on the other hand had the oddest reaction, which had both his teammates generate a sweat drop on the backs of their heads.

"HOLY SHIT! SHE HAS THE BIGGEST THIGHS I'VE EVER SEE!!" He shouted with wide eyes as he pointed at her in shock. The woman collapsed slightly at the comment before standing up laughing like nothing happened. IT was the truth however. Her thighs and legs were covered in muscle. So much so, that Shino suddenly questioned how the even saw the blur before. If she was to kick, he didn't think he would ever see it coming not to mention the damage would possibly be fatal.

"That is the same comment my rival made when we first met." The woman had a far away look in her eyes before suddenly a stream of tears came pouring from her eyes. "HER YOUTHFUL RADIANCE ALSO SHINES BRIGHTLY IN YOU!" All three genin hopefuls at that moment mentally questioned the woman's sanity but they didn't get a chance to voice their concerns as she was suddenly behind them with her hands on Naruto and Hinata's shoulders. "Now we don't have time to waste. My beautiful rival has asked me to help her with this little test."

"Wait!" Naruto looked at her with confusion. "What test? We already were tested!"

"Ah, the test you have taken before was to see if you qualify to become genin. It is up to your sensei to decide if you should be genin." Taking a thoughtful pose she looked up slightly. "If I remember correctly, I believe only 33 of the graduating students become true genin."

"B-but, what happen to the rest of the students?" Hinata voiced concerned.

"They are sent back to the academy or forced to quit trying to be ninja."

"I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY TO QUIT!" Naruto yelled out.

"That's the spirit!" The woman smiled before backing off and standing in what could be called a super hero pose as her legs spread slightly and her hands were on her hips with elbows out. "THAT IS WHY I, MIGHT MAI, AM AIDING MY RIVAL IN THIS TEST OF YOUR YOUTH!!"

"If you are aiding her, wouldn't your goal be to make things more difficult for us?" Shino voiced. He mainly asked in hopes she would stop yelling.

"AH, you see, I have to follow her instructions which helps her, but…" Her face lit up into a grin. "NO TEST CAN WITH STAND MY BEUITY AND YOUTHFUL RADIANCE THAT WILL NO DOUTH RUB OFF ON YOU THREE. YOU CANNOT FAIL!!" With that, she threw out a smile that shined brightly for a moment.

"Can we just get on with this?" Naruto groaned out. He was already getting a headache.

"Oh yes, right. Just open your scrolls and read the message. It will tell you what you need to do." With that she smiled and was gone. Not in a fancy ninja puff of leaves or anything. She just disappeared in a blur. Naruto looked at his teammates receiving a nod from them both before they all opened up their respective scrolls.

"_Alright Brats, odds are you already talked to Mai. If you got through that with your sanity intact then you may stand a chance. I will make this simple. Right now I don't care who you are, what you can do or even why you want to be a ninja. As far as I'm concerned, if you can't survive my little test, then the air you breathe is wasted. Now if you didn't get the hint, 33 of your classmates will pass. That means you three individuals are taking my test. I don't need or want three separate units. I want and only need one unit. _

_Now passing is easy. The moment Mai left, you have been put on a timer. You got forty-five minutes to figure out the test in front of you, get past a little friend of mine and meet me at the Hokage Tower. You each get a clue, find the answer, find me, and tell me the answer. Now that's not hard now is it? I would hurry if I were you. There is a surprise waiting between you and me._

"…" Naruto reread the scroll in front of him before looking at his teammates. Shino held the scroll stiffly for a moment. At a guess, the blond figured he was going over the message with fine toothcomb. Hinata almost took on a pure white color as she looked over the scroll. From the glossy look of her eyes, he could guess she was nearing the point she would break down into tears. He frowned before looking at his scroll at the hint that was given. Reading silently. 'One plus one plus one, equals one…'

"One insect does not make up a colony." Shino spoke up before rolling the scroll up and placing it inside that coat of his. He took at a look at Naruto who held a confused expression on his face. The blond nodded slowly before reading over his hint again.

"One plus one plus one equals one…" Shino looked at Hinata who still looked like she was going to break apart at any moment.

"No-no matter…" she paused and wiped her eyes and took a breath to actually look at her team mates "No matter how special, one eye cannot see what a set can." It wasn't confidant or even all that loud but she managed to speak her on hint which received a nod from Shino and a smile from Naruto.

"I see…" Shino adjusted his shades while Naruto and Hinata looked at him expectantly. "I believe I know the meaning of this test."

"That was quick." Naruto spoke…

"It seems our sensei is not a subtle person. To fix that, it is being made so we have to put the meaning to practice."

"A-and the meaning?" Hinata asked.

"There were four clues given. The first clue was given in the body of the message. It was mentioned that our sensei could not take three units, only one. Each graduating genin was separated into teams of three creating a single unit under the command of one sensei. We are team five, in essence a single unit. The same applies to insects. A colony cannot function with a single insect. A set of eyes is stated to provide better vision then a single eye. Finally, we have Naruto's hint which I think was made up because our sensei ran out of ideas but still managed to get the idea across." Naruto and Hinata looked at Shino as it all added up.

"Teamwork…" Hinata whispered out.

"We work together as a team to complete what we need to do." Naruto stated with a serious expression before a grin spread across his face. "You're a genius Shino!"

"We still have to attempt to coexist as a team to complete the exorcise." Shino stated while looking towards the direction of the Hokage Tower.

"You worry too much." The little blond smiled before putting both his arms behind his head before relaxing into them. "We can take anything." He looked at Hinata and frowned slightly. The girl dejected as she stared at the ground. "Hinata?"

"I'm not as strong as you Naruto," She whispered out so low that Naruto barely caught it.

"We should go now." Shino stated. He heard her as well but chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he looked at Naruto for a moment then nodded. Naruto in turn smiled slightly and took a hold of Hinata's hand startling her.

"Na-Naruto?" She squeaked out with a blush on her face.

"Come on Hinata." He smiled a smile that held an aura of confidance not just in himself but also in her. "We can't be the greatest team ever if you're not with us." She nodded stiffly before following him. They walked in a line heading directly for the tower from the park. Shino was in front moving at a steady pace seemingly as calm as always but he wasn't. It was subtle but he was alert. Ever since he came to the park, his bugs had been warning him of a nearby danger that he just couldn't see.

"Hinata, can you use your Byakugan?" Shino spoke. It wasn't a question really, the way he said it made it a request.

"Yes…" She answered in a soft voice. Hinata called forth the Byakugan causing veins to bulge around the sides of her eyes. Her movement became very stiff as she gasped loud enough for both teammates to slow their walking. "S-s-s-snake!" Hinata said in a panicked whisper.

"Is it blue, and large enough to swallow us in a bite?" Naruto asked as he gulped. Her silent nod was all the confirmation he needed.

"It's ri-right at-at-at the edge…" The moment she stated that, a plume of dirt and grass shot up into the air at the edge of the park causing the three to freeze to the spot. The snake's head turned towards them and for a moment did nothing. The next second dove towards the ground and started charging them at a high speed.

"Move!" Shino yelled out as he dove out of the snake's path. Naruto was about to do the same until he noticed Hinata was still frozen to the spot. He let out a silent curse and grabbed. At the speed it was moving, there was little time to move she he jumped the best he could. It was enough to lessen the impact but he was still sent flying through the air. Before he could land, it's tail swiped at him.

"SHINO!" He yelled out and threw Hinata a moment before the impact sent him into a tree. Had the sturdy plant not been there, he might have traveled back towards the center of the park where the snake was ordered to keep them but instead he got a hard introduction to plant life. As she flew through the air, the fear-induced paralysis broke at the sound of Naruto's voice. Shino caught her out the air as she looked towards the blond boy who had to struggle to stand from where he struck the tree. Shino landed and set her down as he took a look at his struggling teammate and the giant serpent. He assumed it was ordered to keep them in the park but at the moment, it was solely focused on the blond as it coiled itself up preparing to lung forward directly as the blond boy.

"Naruto!" He heard Hinata speak out before she was gone from his side. Shino was a very observant person and in all the time he had spent in the academy watching his fellow students, he never seen Hinata move so fast. 'Protect him, I have to protect him!' she mentally screamed as she ran. Everything seemed to slow down for her as she neared the boy as the snake sprung forward. Her mind seemed to go completely blank as she willed her body to move. To an observer, it looked like she wouldn't make it. To an observer, they would see her stepping into the snake's path prepared to take the blow for her teammate. Anyone watch would expect her to be crushed just by the impact alone. "KAITEN!!" Everyone who was watching now would have collapsed in shock. Barely a second before impact could even occur, the girl started to spin herself like a top while releasing chakra at the same time.

A blue dome of chakra formed around her leaving the snake to slam into it. It wouldn't be the dome that created the shock as many have seen Hyuga's fight. No, it would be the size of the dome and the force it commanded. She forced so much into its creation that it was near twice the size it should have been. When the snake struck it, it was not just deflected; it was physically launched away from her and into the sky. The giant serpent disappeared in a puff of smoke before it landed but the damage was done. The moment was over as she stopped spinning. Naruto looked at the girl in front of him in shock. He never really expected to see that come from her. He knew Hyuga's were considered to be very strong but that in his mind was the greatest thing he had ever seen. He would have told her that as well had she not collapsed. Even with his whole body sore yet healing rapidly as always, he rushed to her side while Shino did the same.

"Hinata, are you ok?" Naruto asked concerned. She looked a bit paler then usual. He looked at her as she gave a soft yet great smile.

"I did it, I mastered it…" It was soft as she spoke it but she closed her eyes going limp.

"HINATA!"

"It's ok Naruto." Shino spoke as he knelt down and picked up the girl in a bridal style. "She exhausted her chakra in that one move. All she needs is rest in order to recover." He turned as Naruto let out a breath of relief.

"That's good… We better complete this test so it wasn't a wasted effort." He stated getting a nod from Shino.

* * *

**Hokage Tower Front Entrance**

* * *

"Do you think using the snake was a little much Anko?" Mai spoke concerned.

"Oh come on, it was just a little one." Anko replied as she ate another piece of her favorite food. "Besides, I needed to give something challenging. I don't do riddles."

"But you only gave them a few minutes. Even when they glow with the powers of youth, you can't expect three fresh academy students to defeat a summoned creature such as yours." Anko just shrugged and started walking forward. Mai blinked at the lack vocal response and followed.

"Well, you three look like you had fun." Anko spoke with a smirk on her face. "So tell me, what is the point of all you been through?" Mai looked a head of Anko to see the three genin, one still being carried.

"You want and expect us to work as a team." Shino stated.

"We work towards one goal and we do it together as one unit." Naruto spoke. "I take it you are our sensei." It wasn't a question the way he said it.

"That's right brat. My name is Mitarashi Anko. You will refer to me as Anko-Sensei from now on. You are now Team 5." A smirk appeared on her face that almost looked sinister. "When we next meet, everything you did to day will seem easy." With that, she disappeared in a poof leaving Mai behind with a concerned look on her face.

"What happened to her?" The woman stated looking at Hinata.

"She exhausted all her chakra defending Naruto and ultimately defeating the snake that was attempting to keep us in the park." Shino answered and immediately started to regret it as tears started to pour from the woman's eyes.

"To do such a thing for a teammate… HER YOUTHFUL BEUITY MUST BE A SHINING EXAMPLE TO ALL WHO SEES HER!!" At this point, Naruto and Shino would have given anything to be unconscious and blissfully unaware of the world at that moment as Mai launched into a 2-hour rant about 'The Beauty and Radiance of Youth.'

**

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**Another Authors Note:**

Alright sports fans… err I mean readers. I have two questions for you.

1. Might Mai and Might Guy… sorry if you don't like me calling him that but seeing as I started it, I don't think it would be right for me to just change it. Married.. I'm considering giving Mai moves from street fighter. Chun Li's to be specific My question is can someone suggest a better moves that I can look up which would fit?

2. Another idea, Mai taking Hinata as an apprentice thus spending more time with Anko and Team 5.

Do you think I should do it? results would be Hinata learning a couple of Mai's moves plus being stronger and faster

Now an Explanation…

I'm using Team 5 instead of another number to show that the other Jonin have tested students on different numbers. Except they fail them instead of pass, thus you Get Team 5. Team 7 still passess with Sasuke and the rookie 9 are still…. The rookie 9. The question is, who is on who's team now.

One last thing. Writing for Shino and Hinata is hard!!!


	6. Chapter 5: Progress and Plans

**Disclaimer: **I do not Own Naruto or any of the franchise.

**Author's Note:** Now this isn't as long as I would have liked it to be but I've been trying to figure out how to handle a few issues. One issue being Guy/Gai's name…. For the sake of making a few people happy… I'm going to start talking him Gai and I guess using Maito as well. Just don't expect me to do this a lot… I'm a nice person but even I have my limits… **_So don't push me!!!_** … I need chocolate… anyway Here is the next chapter.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 5: Progress and Plans**

* * *

It had been three weeks since Anko officially accepted her team and in that time, she tortured them while amassing several completed D rank missions. Of course, if you asked her about it, she would tell you it wasn't torture, it was training. It anything, it was harsh training. Chasing a cat while chained to massive rocks was the most difficult task. Using chakra to 'run' across the ground, the inability to jump because of the weight, and maintaining any kind of stealth while dragging it loudly across grass, gravel and even concrete. No genin team in the history of Konoha's existence had ever come back from that mission in such a state of exhaustion. 

The surprising thing was that the next day, Hyuga Hiashi walked up to Anko and flat out kissed her right smack on the lips. The results of which required four branch members to pry Iruka's hands from around Hiashi's neck much to the confusion of him and the Hokage. Apparently, Hinata came home so tired that she forgot about the sparring match set between her and Hanabi. Looking at her, he could tell she didn't have the chakra needed for even a decent strike using the Gentle Fist style the clan prized but there was nothing he could do. The elders had all gathered and waiting. What happened once the spar started silenced everyone even if it was only for that night. Hinata faced off against Hanabi unable to get into the proper stance. Hanabi actually smirked thinking of just how easy the fight would be. The moment the word was given to begin she rushed forward and started the first two strikes of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-four Palms as it's was known and almost instantly it was countered with a slap that could be heard outside the Hyuga compound. Without even paying attention to her little sister or the elders, she walked away mumbling a tired good night to Hiashi. That was the first time in history a Hyuga had ever been knocked out by a slap.

Needless to say, when next day came, Hinata was on her knees begging for forgiveness from her sister after seeing the red slightly swollen looking handprint on her face. She honestly didn't remember that spar at all. She was so tired, it was more then likely just a dream for her. It took a week for Hanabi to stop cowering in terror every time Hinata raised her hand. Hiashi felt happy because of that little victory. For years, he had been pushing the council to allow his daughters to train in other arts besides their own and they had always denied him. Now, because one of their great techniques was defeated by a slap in front of their very eyes, they reconsidered. So now, Hinata had freedom to learn more then the gentle fist. It was up to her to make the Hyuga fighting style perfect and that meant the council couldn't touch her even if they found her unworthy to lead the clan. She was now protected.

Shino's growth in that short amount of time was just as unpronounced as Hinata's. At first and even second glance, the boy didn't look or feel any stronger but there was a difference. While breeding and training with his allies along side his father, his insects seemed to be very active. Now to anyone else, that's not saying much but to an Aburame, it was like his bugs were under the effects of some kind of performance enhancing drug. They move far faster then normal, their breeding cycle inside of Shino had actually doubled from what it was before. At first, Shibi had hypothesized that the increase was a random mutation but that was shot down after speaking with the queen within Shino.

The truth of the matter was actually simpler then expected. The strenuous effort required for Shino to complete the task Anko assigned was actually forcing him to push his body to the limits. When given the time to recover, the benefits not only strengthened his body but also increased the chakra flow and capacity his body had. In order to keep up with the production, his insects felt it was needed to increase the size of the colony. As such, none of them would become gluttonous and could better aid him as his allies.

Then there was the progress made by Naruto. His growth was just strange from his teammates perspective. Anko had to make him carry twice the burden just to challenge his stamina. In spars, they both had to face him at the same time other wise he would be barely be winded at the end of a match. Then there was the mysterious chakra that put Shino's bugs on edge. A red glow that overlapped the blue in his altered chakra system. Spars were interesting with him when it concerned the gentle fist style. Hinata's confidance was healing slowly thanks to Naruto's encouragements followed by Anko's good-natured threatening to 'tie you and him together in a closet for two days with the strongest aphrodisiac one could find.' Scary thing was, she did make good on that threat, twice. It took all the self-control they both which was aided by the fact that their age didn't allow the drug to work at it's full strength. The worst they did to each other was pass out in each other's arms. The second time they actually shared a kiss that left a three-day deep blush on the pale girl's face. Naruto himself barely suppressed the blush that would appear when he was near Hinata.

They never stated out loud how glad they were that they were 'too young' for the drug to work to its full effect though the reasons were different. Hinata feared her father's judgment if he found her to do something improper. Naruto feared the thought of losing her as a friend and being painfully killed by her father. Out of pure curiosity and to shut up a certain pink haired girl she saw on the street, Anko tied up Haruno Sakura and stuck her in the closet with Shino just to see what would happen. Apparently after five minutes of banshee like screaming the girl became lost in the drug yet Shino never moved except to stop her from taking off his glasses. He in fact knocked the girl out after another three minutes then waited to be released. When Anko let him out he said three words to Sakura that actually made Anko laugh.

"You scare me."

* * *

**Hyuga Mansion Hidden Chamber**

* * *

Silence was abundant in this dark chamber as Hiashi sat in the center of it with his eyes closed. Every couple of minutes he would open them and take in the atmosphere of the room. Walls lined with seals that made them solid to the eyes of any Hyuga. The room had one entrance, the ceiling that looked as simple as dirt and ground to any viewers. Hidden there was a hatch, a sliding door, one that was reinforced so only those given a secrete key could move. In the corner of the room rested a desk with several notes on seals scattered across it. One seal in particular was most repeated in the notes. The Caged bird seal as the branch members called it. He sighed as his mind went over all the problems that one seal was causing. He was broken from his thoughts a ceiling tile opened up and a young woman dropped down before it closed and sealed itself back up. 

"Hyuga Ame, I am glad that you have come." He stated with a voice betraying no emotion. He had done it for so long that he no longer noticed.

"I came as soon as I could Lord Hiashi." She answered with a respectful bow.

"I know I have been asking a lot of you over the past few months." For only a moment, his face took on a saddened expression before it hardened back into the cold unfeeling mask the clan was known for. "I just need so much to go in the proper order right now. IF something goes wrong now at this stage, so much work could crumble."

"I know Lord Hiashi and I shall do all in my power to make sure things go smoothly." Now it was her turn to frown in sadness but it didn't go away nearly as quickly. "It is the least I could do for my brother-in-law. My sister would have liked me to help you in any way I could."

"I am sorry…" He paused a moment to reorganize his mind before speaking again. "Tell me, how is Neji?" It would be hard not to notice that her sad expression worsened at the mention of her nephew.

"He is angry." She shook her head in sadness. "His hate is evident in the way he trains. It has made him strong but also blind. He blames fate for his father's death. He believes nothing can change fate and thus feels trapped. I fear that should an opportunity arise, that anger and hate would make him lash out. I fear for your daughter's safety."

"I see…" He gave a sigh before allowing himself a small smile. "It just means I will have to have faith that my plans for Hinata truly bring about the change we need."

"I still cannot help but worry." Ame closed her eyes before removing the headband covering her forehead. The infamous seal carried by all branch members was shown but it had been altered. Around the 'X' shaped cross were four none connected curved lines that formed a bisected circle. Lines that connected to the center of each section of the circle pointed inward and fell short of touching the 'X'. "Just by creating this without the permission of the council puts you and your children in considerable risk."

"I am aware of that," Closing his eyes, the hardened cold-hearted Hyuga seemly crumbled as he took a calming breath. "My brother lost your sister to that seal, then I lost him. I cannot remove it, but I can find away to suppress it. I owe that much to my brother. And I remember, I made a promise to my late wife that I would change things."

"You are of the main branch, not many will trust this seal as I have."

"I know, but…" Shaking his head he actually smiled. "It is a risk I will take. The only way we shall truly be strong is to end the hate between the Main and branch family. If it doesn't happen soon, then the Hyuga shall fall the same way the Uchiha did."

* * *

**Hokage Tower, Hall outside Hokage's Office**

* * *

"Anko-sensei?" The young horribly scratched but healing blond boy spoke up. 

"What is it brat?" The young woman spoke up looking slightly annoyed as she glared at the door to the Hokage's office. "And it better not be can we kill the cat because if we could, I would have done it."

"No, no, it's nothing like that." He shifted slightly looking uncomfortable for a moment. "I just want to know why you keep making us drag around crap when we do missions?"

"That's it?" Anko asked taking her eyes off the door to see him nod. Looking a bit, she noticed that she now had the attention of her other two charges as well. "Well honestly, I did it for laughs." She snickered at their expressions ignoring Naruto's angered cry. "But there was actual training in there as well."

"Umm… how so?" the shy, timid little girl of the group spoke up while petting the happily purring cat sitting on her lap.

"Well, the weight of the things I made you drag around forced you to use your muscles in a certain manor as well as chakra to give you a forward momentum." Anko adopted a thinking posture before continuing her explanation. "So while chasing the cat, you were in theory in proving your ability to move as well as your speed. The weights I made you wear when I had you practice walking on walls, trees and other things like that was not only to help your control but force you to adjust to the differences in the way your body weight balances out when walking on a vertical surface. The bells I put on you and the packages followed by the snakes that would strike you every time a bell rung increased your stealth, reflexes, and movements in that regard. Picking weeds, I made sure you left no prints identified you were even in the fields which also means improving your ability to hide your presence."

"You were preparing us for future missions." Shino spoke up in his usual flat tone.

"Exactly, though other jonin's would have gone about it in a different manor." She ignored the curious looks given by Hinata and Shino and resisted the smirk she felt at watching Naruto's eyebrow twitch when he realized that the things she pulled weren't practiced by anyone. "When you reach the right level, odds are you as a team will be sent on missions the require high levels of stealth and speed. Also, with your individual abilities, you will be able to detect movements of others far easier and react to it. I believe Hinata had proven it works with her last spar with her sister." Now she couldn't help but grin as her shy student went paler then normal before blushing at the sudden attention while trying to deny what Anko was saying. "Now don't deny it. I've seen how Hyuga's fight and I know that it isn't a slow style. You were tired which I understand. What you need to understand is even while you were exhausted, your body was already accustomed to reacting on reflex and in turn you took the only option you had to defend yourself. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, I heard it was one hell of a slap."

"Team Five?" The door to the office opened up revealing the aged Hokage sitting behind his desk while Iruka stood by the door. "Hokage is ready to see you." Nodding, all members of team five stood up while the cat tensed sensing the worse. Ten minutes after entering the office, they witnessed once again the horrible torture the cat had to endure from its owner before the woman left.

"Now then, we still have a few D Rank missions left for the day." Iruka started reaching over to a small pile of scrolls.

"Actually, I think my team is ready for a C Rank mission." Anko spoke up with a confident look on her face. She didn't miss the happy smile that appeared on Naruto and Hinata's faces when she said that.

"Anko, you can't be serious!" the scared chunin erupted standing up from the pile of scrolls looking worried. "They are still rookies, they don't have enough experience yet!" Anko just looked at him before leaning over and whispering into Hinata's ear, which caused the girl to blush red.

"Iruka…" She stated looking at the man as if he was prey she was stalking. The seductive way she started walking towards him made him start to sweat not knowing what was going on. "If you let them take a C, I will make it worth your wild." Her voice held a very seductive tone to it as she circled the desk and lightly pushed the now panicking chunin into the chair he was in just a few moments ago. She sat down on his legs straddling his waist leaning forward pressing her breast against his chest causing his face to glow red before she leaned into him more and whispered into his ear. His entire body froze up then he went near completely limp as if he was in a daze. Anko just smirked as she got up off him and walked back to where she stood by her team.

The old man actually had to resist the urge to laugh at Iruka who now was stuck in his chair in a comatose state. Clearing his throat to gain their attention his face took on a serious expression letting them know he meant business. "Since you think they are ready, I have a personal mission I would like to send your team on."

"A personal mission?"

"Yes…" Turning to a scroll he picked it up and tossed it to Anko to read while he started his explanation. "Earlier in the week, we received a bodyguard request from a bridge builder named Tazuna. He paid enough for a C-Rank meaning the possibility of common thugs. I however suspect more." He paused as Anko shot him a curious look. "Tazuna comes from the Land of Waves. Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't have caused any suspicion however I have heard rumors that a shipping company run by a man named Gato has recently taken over and caused the residence there to become poverty stricken."

"What does that have to do with Gato?" Naruto asked listening to the explanation.

"Gato's industry has a rumor of it's own brat." Anko spoke up. "Word has it that the shipping is just a cover for a wide variety of illegal activities he performs."

"Right, we have actually had to run his thugs out this village a couple of times." Looking out the window, the old man shook his head sadly. "People like him are more then willing to step on anyone who gets in their way. I have this feeling that Tazuna is one of those people. That is why I'm asking you to do this mission on my behalf. If I am wrong then it will be an easy C-Rank for you. If I am right however, then I will have more time to plan a course of action. So, will you accept this mission?"

* * *

**The Gates of Konoha**

* * *

Standing just outside the massive gates, Anko looked at each of her students appraising them of their worth. Each of them had their usual style of clothing on except that they were so dark you would think they picked up a shadow and placed it on their bodies. She was happy she spent some time to darken their appearances though it took longer to get it right for Naruto. She had to threaten both him and the shop owner with new levels of bodily harm to get what she wanted. Also, she had to get Naruto's headband modified with and extra piece of cloth that he could tuck into it. Now, that cloth was out and it covered up his bright blond hair leaving no trace of it. 

"Listen up!" She spoke up with all the authority she could muster in her voice. "You were given two hours and a Map that lead to the Land of Waves. That path that was marked on that map is what a normal team would take to get there. We are a normal team. We are scouting a head meaning that we will be searching the path carefully for traps and enemies. Now If we find any enemies, then I will decide if we should or could take them or not. We are to go as far as the river that separates the lands. From there, I will send a bird with my report. At that point, I don't care if you want to continue or not, if we get orders to return we do so no questions asked. IS THAT CLEAR!" A round of 'yes sensei' echoed in her ears giving her a moment to smile. "Alright then, Team 5, MOVE OUT!"

* * *

With that, as if it had been practiced several times before, all four members of Team Five disappeared. 

Author's Note:** Well** I guess this marks the beginning of Wave my style. Hopefully I won't screw it up.

Now I have a few things I would like to ask while I hash out a proper line up for the next chapter. You ever get the feeling I like polls? Err ignore that… anyway.

1. Team Five as of right now is Patrolling… They are not the escort team. That means Tazuna needs someone to guard him on the way. That leaves the current choices…

a. Team Seven, Hatake Kakashi with, Uchiha Susuke, Yamanaka Ino, and Nara Shikamaru.

b. Team 9, Uzumaki Karui yes Naruto's mother with, Akimichi Choji, Inuzuka Kiba + Akamaru, Haruno Sakura

c. Send Team Gai as the escort team.

2. I'm sure you noticed with one that means that two of the original teaching Jonin are free. That gives me another choice to consider.

a. Send Sarutobi Asuma along with the escort team.

b. Send Yuhi Kurenai with the team.

c. Send Maito Mai with the team….

d. Just send the team…

3. This is an esthetics type thing… one of the reason I haven't really been listen jutsu and what not. Some techniques sound better under the original names. Others I just don't think I could use them. So for the most part it's going to be in English. The question however is what to do with the element titles and what not.

a. Release

b. Style

c. Art

Mentally… I can't help but call them arts…. Because… just sounds nice that way in my head. Fire Art, Wind Art….

And one other thing here before I leave ya alone… I want to know if anyone is willing to help me with the skills of an OC that will be introduce next chapter. All further information will be shared by by way of PM system


	7. Chapter 6: First Wave

**Disclaimer: **I do not Own Naruto or any of the franchise.

**Author's Note:** I don't' say this enough so I shall say it now. I truly do appreciate the responses to this story. I am honestly trying to keep it decent but I constantly find myself questioning my efforts. I also thank everyone who has voted when I put up some kind of poll. There are some things that plague my mind more then it should it you help me sort them out. So now I start the Wave Arc… Don't know how long this is going to be but I pray that it will at least be partially entertaining.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry**

**Chapter 6: First Wave**

* * *

Team five moved swiftly through the forest making so little noise that even the animals failed to notice them. Anko was actually a slight bit impressed as she trailed behind following her charges movements. She had to admit that she enjoyed teaching this trio of children. It was actually gratifying to know that you were making the next generation of ninja. A generation that she could one day say surpassed her in skill. Show scowled mentally as her thoughts led to her own original mentor. A man she respected and maybe even cared for. A man who spit in her face and turned on her and the village. The pain she felt from that was crushing. To have everything in her life destroyed in one moment. She wanted death; she wanted it all to end. Taking a good look at her students, their serious faces showing how much they trusted her guidance. She wasn't going to allow them feel the pain she felt. If anyone hurt them like she was hurt, their death would not be quick. 

"Sensei…" Shino spoke up stopping on the limb of a tree allowing the others to get to his position. Looking back at Anko she looked at him waiting for his reasons for gaining her attention and stopping their travel. Holding out his hand an insect landed on his finger. The same kind that lived inside his body fluttered its tiny wings for a moment. "Two intruders were here recently."

"How can you be sure they were intruders?" Naruto asked looking slightly confused at how he could tell.

"I cannot say…"

"Why…"

"Naruto!" Anko cut him off before he could ask further. "He cannot tell you because it concerns a clan secret. It is his duty as a member of his clan to uphold its secrets till the day he dies. The same goes for Hinata. When you start a clan of your own, you will have to do the same thing."

"Na-Naruto…" Hinata spoke up, noting that he still looked confused. "Everyone ha-has strengths and weakness. Clans are the same. Like you would hide your strength and weakness to an enemy, we hide ours from enemies as well."

"But I'm a friend right?" Naruto questioned.

"You are a friend and an ally." Shino answered, "I value that greatly but as a member of my clan, I cannot share all my clans' strengths and weakness. You have to understand that if the wrong person knows, ally or not, it gives our enemies an advantage."

"It's like this brat." Anko stated crossing her arms over her chest. "If an ally gets captured, they will be tortured and if they know anything that can hurt us, the enemy will want it. If we have an ally that turns traitor, then we have someone who has information that can hurt us, and then they can use or even sell that info to do so. There is also the chance of an enemy having a spy that could over here that information. For a ninja, having the right information on a target could be enough to cripple them."

"I understand…" Naruto nodded frowning slightly. "To keep everyone safe, sometimes we have to hold on to secrets and never let go of them." She didn't miss Naruto's hand slightly cradle his stomach as he made that statement.

"Which way did they go Shino?" Anko spoke up to take the boy's mind off the pain he felt from his own past. Shino didn't speak up, only nodded his head in the direction they needed to go. "Good, listen carefully. Hinata, I want your eyes open, check carefully and quickly for any signs of human life. Shino, I want you to spread out and keep your bugs as far ahead of you as you can keep them. Naruto, tell me if you feel anything. I don't care what. The moment we find our targets, I want complete silence. We are to confirm they are not ninja of the leaf. When we find them, if I feel you can do it, you three will take them down. Any trouble and I will jump in."

"You can count on us sensei." Naruto smiled while Shino nodded. Hinata while a bit more confidant looked hesitant before Naruto beamed a confidant smile in her direction. It was getting easier and easier to motivate her.

* * *

**Konoha Market**

* * *

"If I see another diaper, I'm going to scream!" Yelled a bleach blond girl screamed out in a huff earning a lazy glance from the boy lazily walking behind her. 

"You are already screaming Ino."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Ino yelled as she grabbed him by the front of his shirt.

"Now… now… You can kill him later." Spoke the almost equally lazy voice of the silver haired main in the back of the group. His face was partially hidden behind a little orange book. "We still have a mission report to turn in."

"This is a waste of time." An angst-ridden voice spoke out from the front of the group. A black haired boy with even darker eyes took a look back past his teammates to glare directly at the jonin. "We should be training instead of doing childish labor."

"What would you care?" Having long dropped Shikamaru, she glared at the boy walking ahead of the group. "I can't imagine what I liked about you. You… you self centered egotistical bastard!"

"Troublesome," muttered the lazy boy as he stood up next to their sensei and started walking with a lazy frown on his face. "Why did you even pass us?"

"You only have yourself to blame. You figured out my test." Flipping the page of his book before pointing with it slightly. "And then you told them how to pass."

"I was hoping that Ino and Susuke would hit it off."

"Might I ask why?"

"So she would leave me alone." With a sigh he gave a lazy glare at the ranting blond as she was ignored by her former crush that in turn ignored her. "Troublesome girl…"

"Well…" The lazy jonin glanced at him for a second. "She isn't it bothering you now."

"Just give it a second."

"SHIKAMARU!" the blond screamed out loud enough o make him cringe.

"Troublesome…"

* * *

**Forest area outside gates**

* * *

Two figures sat silently in the trees looking at the massive walls that surrounded the leaf village. Both with what looked to be gas mask of some sort on their face and a clawed gauntlet on their arms. Both looked to be in deep thought as to what course of action they were going to take from this point forward. 

"A direct attack would be foolish." One spoke sounding slightly annoyed.

"We will have to wait him out." The other spoke as if answering an unasked question.

"He will have guards."

"We will have to kill them quickly."

"My, you two sound quite confident." They both froze before turning to face the sudden voice. What they saw let them sigh in relief as all that stood there was a short blond grinning child. "I bet you two couldn't beat a fly."

"Bold words…"Started one brother…

"Coming from a child." Finished the other.

As they both prepared to attack, they never noticed that his grin had grown. Attacking in unison they both attacked quickly leaving the boy to look stunned as they drove their claws into him until he suddenly popped out of existence.

"What?"

"Where?"

"Over here morons!" Both brothers turned to see the boy was behind them again. They wasted no time to attack again but once more a second after impact the boy disappeared except this time their claws were stuck in a surprisingly large log, one with enough weight that it dragged them to the forest floor. When they landed they followed the first and immediate impulse, which was to pull their selves free, but it wasn't working, the claws they used were stuck fast. They paused as a loud scuttling noise reached their ears. Looking around they saw a practical army of insects marching at them in a wave. So many that they started to panic and pull with more vigor then before but the same effect. With their attention divided between the bugs and freeing their selves, the sound of two bodies landing never reached their ears. On felt the lightest of touches on the back of his neck while the other felt a chop hit his yet in unison, they both fell against the log unconscious.

"Shino, you are a genius." The blond boy spoke up after he landed behind the girl with a smile. "How was that sensei?" He asked turning to look as Anko appeared making very little noise in the process.

"Truth be told, I'm a little disappointed." She frowned, "I was hoping to see a fight."

"The likely hood of a fight was minimum at best." Shino stated pushing up his glasses. "He had the tools necessary to get the job done."

"Yeah yeah, you three did a great job." She stated brushing him off while muttering something about still wanting to see a fight. Taking a good look at the fallen ninja she smirked a bit. "Quite the catch for genin. Gozu and Meizu, also known as the Demon Brothers. Two chunin level missing ninja from Kirigakure, the Village hidden in Mist."

"Mi-missing ninja?" Hinata questioned looking at the downed men.

"Traitors would be the short way to put it. You could also call them run-a-ways." Anko pulled a line of wire from that coat she had on. "Lets tie them up and see who they work for. You brats get to see what I did before teaching you."

"Worthless…" spoke a feminine voice in monotone causing the entire group to freeze for a second. Immediately Hinata reactivated her Byakugan while Shino spread out his bugs.

"Anything?" Naruto asked only to see both his teammates shake their heads. Looking at their sensei, he could tell she couldn't sense the speaker either. "I'm not sensing anythi…" He paused causing them to look at him. Turning around to where the demon bothers were set, he picked a kunai and tossed it towards the leg of Meizu. The second it hit, there was the sound of paper being cut before both brothers seemingly dissolved into several sheets of white paper.

"T-t-t-tha-that's…"

"Impossible…" Shino spoke up knowing that Hinata herself was in shock. Bending down he watched as two females of his hive crawled out from under the sheets. "Naruto…"

"Right…" Closing his eyes he focused on the moment he felt the chakra pulse. It was very faint and somehow he knew that if it wasn't for the proximity, he might not have felt it at all. Almost mechanically he ran through three seals releasing enough chakra to affect the paper, which at that moment instantly became perfect copies of the demon brothers.

"Such detailed copies using so little chakra." Shino glanced at Hinata who looked slightly paler then usual. "Hinata"

"Unless I focus on seeing the chakra system…. I can't see the difference. There are no signs that they are fake." Apparently her shock mixed with interests overriding her nervous stuttering for the moment.

"Shino, send your bugs over it, to get the chakra…" Naruto spoke up receiving no reaction from Shino until the paper facsimiles suddenly fell apart. "Your bugs can still sense it to drain the chakra. I barely caught it in the first place considering how little of it was used."

"I see, that means should we face our mysterious third person, It would be best that I take care of them."

"Looks like I'm going to get to see that fight after all." Anko stated before whistling then throwing a tiny scroll into the air. In less then a second it was snatched out the sky by a bird that turned off to fly to the Hokage Tower. "Lets head to the river, we will camp there till we find out what Lord Hokage wants us to do.

* * *

**Hokage Tower, Hokage's Office

* * *

**

Sometimes being the Hokage was a painful experience. Having to over see the safety of his people and ninja was not an easy job after all. It was full of painful choices and sacrifices. The thing he had to do sometimes made him feel hollow but on few occasions, it was all worth it as he looked over his village to see happy children playing and ninja speaking with each other as humans rather then machines of death like other villages pushed them to do. Now as he looked at the note delivered just mere moments ago, he was going to have to make another choice that could effect not only his own people but also the people of another village.

"Tazuna, I trust that you have a reason for nothing telling us the whole truth?" The kindly old man spoke though his tone held a serious edge to it. "My people found some missing ninja in our territory, plotting to kill a bridge builder." Ok so he lied slightly. They were plotting to kill someone but they never got to a name for the target.

"I-I, well… That is…" The man who was fairly aged himself stumbled no longer in the drunken haze he originally entered trying to come up with an excuse.

"It's alright." Tazuna stopped his sputtering as the aged Hokage pointed to a group waiting in the corner of the office silently. "Under normal circumstances I would call back my people and send better prepared ninja but at the moment those resources are taxed. Instead, I am going to send you with the scout team as well as this team of jonin and genin. An extra jonin will be joining them as well giving you the sum of three jonin and six genin."

"But I can't pay for that." If there was anything left to his drunken haze, it was gone just thinking about how much this would cost him.

"I am aware of that Tazuna, That is why I expect payment later on once the Land of Waves gets back on its feet. Until then I will just have to keep a progress report on your village." Smiling, the old man pointed to Tazuna. "If you gave the truth in the first place, it would have saved me the trouble of discovering the truth on my own. I hope that in the future, you have a little more faith in the leaf."

"Lord Hokage, if I may ask, who will be joining my team?" Came a bored tone as the silver haired masked ninja walked out of the shadow of the corner.

"I'm glad you asked Kakashi, she should be here in a moment." A blur of blue and green entered the room causing a mini-windstorm before a woman appeared making Kakashi raise his visible eyebrow.

"Lord Hokage, how good it is to see you once again and just as handsome as always." The woman in question flashed a heart-warming smile that pinged brightly from the perfectly taken care of teeth she had.

"It is good to see you as well Mai. I have a mission team I would like you to join."

* * *

**Konoha Gates, 2 and a half hours later**

* * *

Uchiha Susuke, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Maito Mai were all waiting for a certain client and jonin to arrive for at least an hour before a puff of smoke signal their arrival. "Yo…" The glare from Ino didn't go unnoticed by him as scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late, I had to save Tazuna here from a mob of blind fan-girls." 

"THAT IS THE STUIPDEST EXCUSE I'VE EVER HEARD" Ino roared out as her head seemingly grew to massive proportions and her eyes began glow red with rage. In the next instant, she was back to normal grumbling about lazy time challenged teachers. Tazuna coughed before he stopped cowering behind the seemingly oblivious jonin.

"My youthfully handsome masterpiece of a husband was right about you." Mai shook her head while looking at Kakashi. "You are a very strange man."

"I'm strange?" Kakashi could only blink as a bead of sweat appeared on the back of his head. "Anyway, lets get moving."

"Good, let us show the world the world our youthful beauty!" Mai yelled out before she started marching in front of the group with a huge smile on her face.

"Youthful beauty?" Shikamaru actually blinked looking at her as she walked off.

"Yeah, between her and Gai, you either have to listen to the 'Flames of Youth' or the 'Beauty of Youth' constantly." The masked jonin stated before he pulled out his little orange book and started walking. "You learn to tune them out after a while."

* * *

**Unknown Location**

* * *

Mist and forest surrounded them as they stood with their heads lowered. The Demon Brothers had regained consciousness to find their mask removed and replaced by simple sheets of paper. To anyone else, it would be both confusing and annoying but the moment they realized it, they felt a cold chill up their spine. Looking a few feet in front of them, they saw their savior and executioner all in one kneeling down in front of what looked like a young ANBU. By all appearances, she was only a little girl. Quite thin yet somehow it was proper for her appearance. Her clothing looked like normal ninja attire except for the bandages on her legs and forearms as well as the black backpack and leg packs. Her hair was one long brown braid that was wrapped around her neck. If she looked up from her kneeling position, one would see she had half an ANBU mask herself covering the right side of her face. 

"Give me a good reason I shouldn't kill you both." Came a vicious sounding voice from the mist around them. They knew it as their leader, their employer. It was also the voice of a man that could kill them without a second thought, something that was proven as they heard a snap that made the kneeling girl flinch. That flinch caused the paper on the paper to constrict over their mouth and nose cutting off their airflow instantly. "I gave you a simple job. Wait for the bridge builder and to come out and kill him. Instead, I find out that you were caught by a patrol of children."

"Oh give them another chance Zabuza." Came a voice from the mist as a man appeared seemingly out of shadows. He had a cloak covering his body as well as a straw hat. The cloak itself hid his body well as it was pure black with red clouds at the bottom of it. "After all, it was a surprise attack that granted them their defeat."

"And why should I do that Gansaku?" If anything Zabuza's voiced sounded a bit annoyed despite the fact that the two brothers were now struggling for breath trying to claw at the paper that was stuck to their faces like a second skin. A skin that for some reason seemed to be strong as steel as they tried to pierce it with the de-poisoned claws they had.

"I decided to continue my little bit of spying. They are sending three jonin instead of one as well six genin." Making a halfhearted gesture towards the fading brothers he continued to speak. "That is a small army which I believe could be divided to make the job easier for you. Of course, that means that we would need these two alive."

There was a momentary silence not counting the dying struggles of the brothers before Zabuza spoke again. "Haku, call off your pet."

"Yes Zabuza…" The ANBU spoke in a soft emotionless tone before partially kneeling before gently gripping the chin of the girl to lift her head. "That is enough Aki, let them go."

"Yes mistress…" Aki spoke softly. Suddenly the area was filled with heavy gasp as the two brothers were freed from the simple sheets of paper that flattened out and floated to the kneeling girl depositing their selves into her backpack.

"Good girl…"

"Don't make me regret this." Zabuza stated as he appeared between the two brothers. "Or I will kill you two myself."


	8. Chapter 7: Second Wave

**Disclaimer: **I do not Own Naruto or any of the franchise.

**Author's Note:** Sorry I'm late; I had to keep a burning building from catching fire. Now truth is told, this took far longer than I was expecting to figure out. One idea, I didn't like, so I thought of another and another but I was getting nothing. Now I have this chapter. My goal now is to figure out the rest of the wave arc as well what I can do afterwards. There is one idea I have for Hinata that I really want to do but I'm still trying to work out what she needs to know how to do before hand. Then there is the question of how to each Naruto. After all, he and mimic just about anything for a limited amount of time. Can you imagine how hard that makes it to learn something? If this feels rushed to anyone... don't worry, it might have been.

Now here is a question for my readers. 8, 16, 24 Trigrams Heavenly Asura, A move under development. Can you guess what I'm planning?

You know what scares me... The next chapter should be easy to write yet it's giving me just as much a headache as this one was.

* * *

**Naruto: Art of Mimicry

* * *

**

**Chapter 7: Second Wave**

It was quiet, the gentle sound of water being moved felt loud in the ears of the occupants of the single boat they were all in. The man paddled as quietly as he could to avoid drawing any attention to himself. The occupants of the boat looked into the dense fog that had covered the water seemingly waiting for some kind of danger. One pair of eyes had veins bulging from around them apparently giving their vision an extra boost.

"Find anything Hinata?" a young male voice spoke up before taking his eyes off the water to looking at the young girl in question.

"It's clear…" She responded in a near whisper. Their sensei could only shake her head mentally. She finally got the girl to give clear stutter less responses while on the job but in straight conversation, the girl was still a wreck.

"Alright brats," the strong cheerful yet commanding voice of the purpled haired woman spoke up suddenly. "Remember your orders. The moment we land, we go ahead to make sure everything is clear. So what does that mean for us?"

"We are to look for enemies and traps between land and our destination." A monotone voice of the resident bug user answered. "Traps should be disarmed if possible and enemies subdued. If one or the other cannot be done then measures must be taken to assure the safety of the client and escort team."

A snort drew their attention to the dark haired boy on the boat with the uninterested look on his face. "This is a waste of time."

"Excuse me?" a voice responded with a little bit of agitation.

"There are three jonin and six genin here." The boy sounded a bit argent before he looking at them frowning slightly. "If anyone was foolish enough to attack now, they would be crushed."

"That may or may not be true Sasuke." The lazy sounding ninja next to him spoke up without lowering his book from his face.

"Why is that sensei?? The blond kunoichi questioned.

"It's simple Ino." Kakashi replied peeking over the top of his book for a moment before putting it up. "We are not certain that we have the larger force. Also, if the enemy is prepared, traps and well selected ambush points could give them an advantage." The blond girl nodded before she noticed Naruto flinch suddenly.

At that moment, Hinata's Byakugan reactivated and the sound of Shino's bugs could be heard taking to the air. The genin of team seven may have not known how team five worked but each of them was smart enough to something was immediately wrong based on how they were reacting.

"Ah, little Naruto." The boy in question had to keep from screaming out in a childish rage at being called little and just turned slightly to look at Mai who just seemed to smile in his direction. "Do you or your friends know how to walk on water yet?"

"Walk, on, water?" he blinked in response suddenly wondering if that was possible.

"I see," she paused before smile grew wider and sweeter somehow causing the sound a heavenly chorus to sing around her while white fluffy clouds and a bright sun like light shined behind her creating a disturbingly innocent looking scene. "You can use your youthful talents to get Tazuna and everyone to safety on land."

A soft frightened squeak erupted from Hinata before Naruto could respond to the woman's statement. In the time span of four seconds, the boat suddenly split in half being struck from underneath by a very large sword. The jonin hopped onto the water standing, seven blond clones appeared grabbing the boat driver, the bridge builder and every genin except for the creator himself before standing on top of the water. With only a glance at their sensei, each clone took off with their cargo towards land. The jonin their selves were already armed as their assailant landed on top of the water himself.

"Well look at what we have here." The sword wielding figure spoke up sounding very confidant. "The Copy Ninja and the Snake's…"

"Finish that and I will turn you into a woman." Anko hissed out with a distinct aura of death.

"Right…" coughing to hide the moment of fear induced by her outburst. "Your little brats know when to run, too bad they won't escape."

"Don't worry, I shall ensure the safety of your youthful students!" Mai yelled out and turned to rush after the genin only to stop as 9 figures rose up from the water at once. Each figure sporting black cloaks with read clouds.

"Now I can't allow a pretty woman such as you get involved in what is going to a bloody battle." The center figure put a charming smile on his face. "Gansaku the False, the greatest missing ninja of Iwagakure and the most handsome man on the face of this world is waiting to sweep you off your feet."

"You don't hold a candle to my precious Gai." Mai held her hands clasped together as if dreaming as sparkles appeared around her and in her eyes causing everyone watching to twitch. "The most perfect, handsome, youthful, elegant, beautiful man to ever hold my heart and stoke the fires of my youth."

"Umm…. Right, I guess after we clear out the trash here, we can go join up with the brats." Anko stated cracking her knuckles before a grin broke out over her face.

"You don't seem worried about your students." Mai stated without looking.

"I trust my brats enough to be able take out anything these idiots can dish out. So get the moron twins out of hiding so I can kill them."

"Just DIE!" One voice spoke flying out the water follow by a second dashing towards the woman with clawed gauntlets stretched forward to impale her. She only laughed as she dashed forward grabbing a gauntlet in each hand pushing down as she leapt over their claws and kneed them both in the face causing both to fall back and sink into the water.

"What are you all standing around for?" She yelled out grinning in mild insanity. "LET'S GET STARTED!!"

* * *

For all accounts, they were running fast, or rather Naruto was. The fact that he was running on top of the water however was deeply confusing to two member of team seven.

"Put me down!" the blond kunoichi screamed out much to the annoyance of the clone carrying her. It didn't help that she was struggling so viciously in his grasp that she threatened to disperse him right there. "Why are we running?"

"We are running in order to get the client to safety on a surface that we more capable of defending ourselves on." Shino spoke up calmly while waiting for the hyperactive clone to reach land.

"What do you mean? This is just shallow water isn't it?" Ino questioned honestly confused.

"LET GO!" Everyone looked back as the rookie of the year viciously struck the clone holding him dispersing it only to splash into the water a second later.

"Troublesome…" The third member of team 7 mumbled before another clone appeared and grabbed hold of the partially submerged and now angry member of his team. "Ignore your pride Sasuke or we will never get to land before Naruto forgets how to do this."

"What?" Sasuke looked confused as well as Ino at Shikamaru's statement. Ino herself knew nothing about the blond boy other then the fact that on occasion he pulled pranks the teachers at the academy. Sasuke himself completely ignored the blond and for the most part the rest of his class seeing them as being nothing of importance.

"If you had been paying attention rather than worshiping Sasuke, you would have noticed that Naruto can copy just about anything someone does around him for a limited amount of time." Taking a look at Naruto and his clones while they ran, he already sees the memory fading as each step was less stable on the water. "Troublesome… Are we close Hinata?"

"Yes but,"

"There is someone waiting for us." Shino finished pushing up the glasses on his face. "Tazuna, we are going to send you around as far as the clones can take you. Be sure to tell Naruto where you need to go, in detail. We will follow once it's clear."

"Shino?" Naruto spoke up trying to figure out what he was planning.

"I believe you will understand after a moment. Just send a few clones and make sure they do not stop moving and avoid all fights along the way."

"Ok, if you say so." Within a moment, seven more clones appeared around the bridge builder and the boat owner before they split off from the group.

"Good, now we..." In that moment his attention turned to Hinata who suddenly drew several kunai and shuriken throwing them ahead only to frown as the sound of metal hitting metal echoed in her ears.

"IN THE WATER!" The true Naruto suddenly stopped walking on the water diving in as the clones unceremoniously dumped everyone they were carrying into the water. Before anyone could protest, they saw just what Hinata seen as what looked like white birds drove their selves into the clones in a swarm before the clones puffed out of existence. Glancing at the few birds that were driven into the water before the clones dispersed, what they saw was not a true bird but a neatly folded paper dove.

Ino rose up from the water partially and was about to scream before a hand covered her mouth muffling her voice. "Shut up Ino unless you want us to die." Sasuke hissed as he pointed up to the small swarm circling the air. "Shino, why can't they see us?"

Glancing at the winged seemingly living projectiles circle, he lifted a hand out the water to allow an insect to land on his finger a moment before it flew off. "It appears our opponent is waiting for us."

"That's fine but we can't just sit here nor can we move to shore with that army waiting to kill us." The lazy boy spoke up with mild irritation before looking at Naruto. "Can you transform your clones into us?"

"Yeah, why?"

Silently, she waited. If any survived her birds, then she would eliminate them here. While looking across the water, she brought a hand to face brushing the scar hidden by the mask. To preserve the life of her mistress, she would kill thousands if needed, yet she was ordered to spare the lives of the genin if it was possible. To kill as a last resort was an option, one she wasn't used to having. She wasn't quite sure if she could make a choice like that.

"RIGHT THERE!!" The loud yell brought her attention back to the water as a blond body rushed out the water with kunai in hand while his friends either followed or yelled for him to wait. In truth, it was foolish to really rush someone like her head on. Especially with the way she was trained. When he was within to feet she moved holding a strip of paper that was neatly folded to look like a small blade. It was an act of pure speed as she avoided his stab and slides the paper blade into his neck from the back.

"NARUTO!" Taking notice of the loud blond girl, she only preformed a single hand seal causing the forgotten swarm of birds to fly down from the sky and dive at the little band of ninja.

_Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!_

The sudden swell of heat behind her caused her turn from the scene in front of her to see a giant ball of fire rushing towards her leaving extremely little time to react. She left out a muffled scream before the flames washed over her and every single bird burning the paper little more than ashes. The clones disappeared into the flames as well dispelling into clouds of smoke leaving no trace that they where there.

"Nice job Sasuke." Ino cheered on before looking at the burning remains. "Did we get her?"

"Replacement… She is still here." Naruto stated while Hinata turned her head to look off to the side in the ready stance of her clan's taijutsu style.

"Smart…" she spoke in an emotionless voice as she looked at the genin in front of her. The two blonds, a white haired girl and a black haired boy. Four opponents to eliminate. That left a question as to where the bridge builder was. "You set decoys to draw my attacks and give you a chance to destroy my birds."

"And you fell for it. So what you plan on doing now!" The blond boy responded holding up a clinched fist in an effort to look more threatening.

"I am sorry, but for the sake of my Mistress, I must eliminate you." Three rapidly formed seals later, her backpack opened up releasing a storm of paper into the air which quickly gathered on the ground around her creating various cat and dog like animals. Each animal standing equal to her height clawed restlessly at the grown leaving deep cuts into the ground before they took off with a great deal of speed towards the band. In response they stated nothing as they scattered to escape the wrath of the paper animals. The two blonds fell first as a cat leapt on them slashing only for them both to disappear into a puff of smoke.

"Clones?" The girl and black haired boy appeared in front of her leaving her to wonder about her paper pets which suddenly collapsed into theirseleves becoming nothing more than harmless sheets of paper once more. "How?" Before she could attempt to anything else, her body stopped moving completely leaving her even more confused as to what was going on. "

"Shadow Imitation Jutsu a success." Shikamaru spoke lazily. "Your turn Hinata."

"Right…" She hesitantly walked over to half masked girl. "S-sorry about this." She timidly whispered out before striking several points not only cutting of the chakra flow through her body but knocking her out in turn. Before the girl could collapse to the ground painfully, Shino caught her and set her down being sure to allow his bugs to return to him from the remains of the paper beast.

"How long?" Naruto spoke up looking at the downed girl.

"Hour…"

"We should be sure she is securely tied up before she awakens then question her."

"What would be the point?" Sasuke spoke up with his arms crossed.

"The point Sasuke would be to find out whom she works for and if there are more enemies we will have to worry about." Shikamaru answered before muttering something under his breath.

"Well how are we post to find that out. It's not like she is just going to happily give up information." Ino stated placing a finger under her chin thinking about it. "If you plan to get something out of her, it would require some kind of torture but we can't do that. I mean none of us ever tortured anyone before."

"You have if you count the amount of time we had to listen to you talk."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY SHIKAMARU!"

"The idea is the old her until our sensei returns."

"N-Naruto?" Hinata spoke questioning the blond who at the moment had yet to say anything. In fact he was looking around looking very uncomfortable. The veins on the sides of her eyes bulged signifying the activation of her eyes but even so she still couldn't see what had him so unnerved.

"I know someone else is here..." He whispered…

"A-all I s-see is m-mist." Looking around, the truth was there was a lot of mist forming making it more and more difficult to see.

"This mist isn't natural. It's far too thick." Sasuke spoke up holding a kunai ready.

"There!" Hinata prepared to throw the kunai in possession only for her hand and the hands of everyone in the group to be pierced by a needle. The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed until just as quickly as the mist had arrived, it was gone along with the girl.

"Troublesome, they got away." Looking lazily over to the bug user he voiced the question that on the minds of half the team. "So what now?"

* * *

"HA!" The power house of a kunoichi yelled out as she struck her enemies reducing them to water only for more to appear in their place. "This is getting very tiring…"

"Then I guess you will have to give up and join me on a nice dinner date then?" The one that spoke turned into water suddenly as she struck it. "I guess not. Stubborn woman doesn't know what she is missing out on."

"Stop flirting and kill her!" The bandaged man screamed as he swung the giant sword in his hand at the copy ninja forcing him to leap away or be cut in half.

"Who would have guessed the great demon of the mist would be teamed with a shameless flirt." Kakashi taunted as he evaded yet another slashing attempt on his life.

"SHUT UP!" He swung again feeling aggravation as the copy ninja evaded once again.

"Then of course, you have the demon brothers and it's well beyond obvious they are useless." His voice sounded rather smug as he spoke. "First taken down by a bunch of children and now Anko there is dancing around them like they are nothing more than a couple of common academy students."

"I told you to SHUT UP!"

"Then again," Kakashi continued ignoring him while dodging his assaults. "Seeing how you are fighting right now, it's no wonder you enlist such weak help."

"DAMN IT, YOU WILL SHOW YOU WEAK YOU ONE EYED BASTARD!" All at once he reattached his sword to his back and rapidly preformed seals.

_Water Release: Great Waterfall Jutsu_

All at once a massive rush of water washed towards Kakashi only for the copy ninja to move out the way of the watery assault much to Zabuza's anger. The bandaged ninja didn't realize his mistake until he saw the wave crash over Gansaku and his army of water clones wiping them all out and leaving the man drenched.

"What the hell was that for?" the cloaked man screamed in confusion before he felt a cold chill suddenly. "Oh no…" He turned his head just in time to have a foot connect to his face, chest, left shoulder, stomach, right shoulder, neck, and face once so quickly that if he wasn't in pain, he would have thought she had multiple legs. For Mai's part, after the first volley she switched legs almost instantly targeting the same points in rapid succession before switching back to the other leg once more except leaving the final kick striking his stomach before switching one last time kicking his chin in a near split kick resulting in what sounded like a bone breaking as he soared through the air splashing down in the water dying it red with the blood coming from his mouth.

"Phoenix Fanning Wings…" Mai stated in a whisper as she held one leg up bent at the knee as if preparing to deliver another round of kicks should her opponent rise again.

"I guess that's my cue." Anko spoke up with a grin before avoiding another assault from the demon twins and flipping a good ten feet away. With a grin she cut her hand and preformed a few hand seals before slamming her bleeding hand onto the surface of the water.

_Summoning Jutsu!_

The brother's paused for a moment to see what happened but all they saw was smoke then a happily grinning Anko. They didn't have much time as the world went dark. In their place were two snakes, both with a lump sliding down into the water.

"Lucky…"

"What was that?"

"I said you were lucky. But I will be sure to change that next time we meet Kakashi." Zabuza growled

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" Kakashi questioned before turning into water suddenly. "Especially when you are going to die right here" A lazy sounding voice spoke behind Zabuza causing the man to spin while grabbing his sword to slash behind him at nothing. Next thing he knew his sword dropped into the water as a pair of kunai dug into his arm at the elbow.

"ZABUZA!" Kakashi leapt back as out the water rose Gansaku armed with the fallen sword. Thrusting the weapon into the wounded mans still good hand, pushed him away and turned rushing at the leaf jonin in what looked like a suicide charge. "Meet my special technique. Shrapnel clone jutsu!"

"Damn, GET BACK!" That was all the time he had to say as Gansaku started to glow then explode into a hail of shuriken, kunai, and needles. Once the smoke from the explosion cleared, all that was left was the jonin, each sporting cuts and lacerations from the various weapons that could have easly killed them if that clone was any closer then it was. "Eh, so he's gone." Kakashi stated lazily as he covered up his eye and looked towards the land where they were going to have to walk.

"Think the kids are ok?"

"Of course rival of my beloved. Their youth burns far too brightly to be put out by any simple missing ninja." Mai proclaimed before sticking her thumb out and exhibiting a bright sparkling smile.

"Yeah, what she said, now let's get out of here before something else happens." Anko commanded before walking off in a huff.

"Ah, my eternal rival, shall we race to land?"

"Mai, there is something stuck in your hip."

"What?" Mai looked and patted her hip feeling nothing out of the ordinary before looking up and noticing Anko was gone and had a good lead. "My hip rival has pulled a fast one over me. DO NOT THINK I SHALL LOSE EASLY!" With that she took off after Anko leaving an annoyed and slightly confused Kakashi behind.

"Isn't it too early for this?" He shrugged and pulled out his surprisingly dry book and started reading while walking.

* * *

"That was a close one. Man you are one lucky…" Gansaku suddenly found himself staring at the loop that happened to rest on the giant sword. It just so happened that his neck was in it.

"Keep talking and I will take your head off." Zabuza growled in his anger before releasing the man. "I underestimated them. That's all.

"It seemed that everyone did." A fully masked figure appeared holding the unconscious girl in hand.

"The brats beat your little pet did they?" Zabuza sounded amused. "That can't make you very happy can it Haku?"

"Next time she won't lose." Zabuza just snorted in response before turning to walk back to their base.

"Once I recover, I will kill them all myself."

Gansaku sighed as he watched the two walk off before looking in the direction the leaf ninja went. "As long as you stay under the radar, I'm safe."


End file.
